Shards of Us
by PixelButterfly
Summary: EXPLICIT. SLOW BURN. Wang So is a hitman tasked with infiltrating the home of the country's most prestigious politician, Hwang Bo Wook. He takes the job because of its sheer simplicity: wait and kill. Then, he meets Wook's wife, Hae Soo, and nothing is simple again. Beta: Krysyuy
1. Prologue

_Hello, Wolf Dog, how do you do?_

 _We are in need of your services. We will not disclose who "we" are, but rest assured that we are able to compensate you accordingly._

 _Our organization is put at risk by a certain politician. Hwang Bo Wook is his name- perhaps you've heard of him? He's a young man in the President's inner circle. Elected once, but remaining inside the Blue House for many years… but we digress._

 _We ask that you infiltrate his home and await our request. There will come a time when Mr. Hwang Bo will have to be eliminated and perhaps his family as well. We are willing to part two million US dollars for Mr. Hwang Bo and the same for his wife should the need for her elimination be imminent. We will also part three million US dollars for each of his children should their termination be required. You will be compensated for each month you are within the Hwang Bo household._

 _We thank you for your cooperation, sir. Please accept this first payment as a token of our generosity._

 _Regards-_

Orange flames licked the slip of paper that had come with a briefcase of a million Korean won. Wang So pocketed his lighter and lit his cigarette with the fire from the burning note. He tossed the paper aside and closed the case, carrying it as he walked away from the ashes that remained.

* * *

 **Chapter One will be posted on the anniversary of MLSHR, August 29th.**


	2. Skene

**Much thanks to my beta Krysyuy.**

* * *

 **Wang So**

The house was enormous. Glass panes shined chrome in the dazzling sun and white archways gave way to a tiled roof and light brown beams. A Hanok house with glass windows and marble paneling. It was the perfect mixture of eastern and western influences- oozing money and shining like a diamond in the afternoon sun.

After passing two preliminary screenings at an office, So now found himself in front of his target. Climbing the steps of the house, So adjusted his suit and made sure his hair was neat before ringing the doorbell of the front gate. Even with his height, he could barely gaze over the brick barrier that kept the press and prying eyes from the Hwang Bo house.

The intercom crackled to life and So heard a voice from the other side. "Yes?"

"My name is Wang So, I'm here to apply for the open security position," he called to where the voice had come from. So stood straight, assuming character and sighing. He would be foregoing quite a long time from the outside world. Acting as a security guard, he would learn each detail of the house and its family. Then, he would respond to those that funded him.

The gate opened on well oiled hinges and So stepped in, raising an eyebrow at the lush gardens and green grass that grew in the winter. So it was true: the laws of physics did not apply to the filthy rich.

He walked over a gravel walkway, noting security cameras covering most of the lawn. There were spots near the small pond where there seemed to be no camera surveillance. An entire chunk of the lawn was omitted from scrutiny- a white bench with swirling designs and blue and yellow cushions. It overlooked an area of water where golden fish swam about, oblivious to the chilly weather.

Just outside of the massive house's front door stood a young woman in a white blouse and trim black skirt. She held herself tall and wore shiny high heels. So assumed she was a size zero and that she wore gel inserts in her shoes… flat feet. A sleek Bluetooth was clipped to her ear and she stood impeccably straight.

"Mr. Wang So?" she asked, her voice high and haughty. _Daegu accent_ , So thought idly. She looked like a flight attendant, the way her hair was pulled into a tight bun that So assumed even a hurricane could not break. She was not the mistress of the house- no rich woman in her right mind would wear a white blouse with a black pencil skirt. Too drab.

"Yes, I'm Wang So," So gave a slight bow and noticed the young lady did not reciprocate.

"My name is Kim Chae Ryung. I am the house's caretaker. I will see to your interview and then you will meet with Mr. Hwang Bo if I approve of your resume and credentials. I assume you have a driver's license and no criminal history?" She shot off her tirade in a monotonous tone that made So want to roll his eyes. _Of course I have a criminal history_ , he thought. _It's just not on the records._

"Yes, I can drive and no, I don't have a record," he replied instead. He signed three confidentiality agreements before stepping foot into the house.

Once the documents were complete, the young woman opened the front door and motioned for So to follow her inside. He complied to her orders and removed his shoes when he entered the house, noticing a rustic scent hued with pine.

So noted a massive chandelier in the foyer- crystal and polished. There were wooden beams that supported the modern Hanok home, and each room he passed was spotless and decorated with only the most expensive furnishings.

Opulent. The house was opulent. Yet, there were still little things that made it look like a house actual people lived in.

The TV in the sitting room had a baseball game on. One of the rooms upstairs was painted pink and had Barbie dolls scattered around the floor. There was a cook in the kitchen, rolling out what seemed to be cookie dough… and no security cameras. Unlike the outside, the inside was not watched at all. Perfect.

They reached a hidden door and So frowned when Chae Ryung pressed a ledge to open it. The door slid open to reveal a small office area and a little lounge. So followed behind Chae Ryung and noted that this room was much smaller than any of the others and less lavish in decor. There was a long sofa and a moderately sized tv. Other doors were also connected to this small rest area.

Already, Chae Ryung was holding a tablet in her hands, scanning over So's resume. "You seem to be proficient in three forms of martial arts, you are able to drive manual and stick, and you can speak four languages," she read off of the list. From what So had come up with about himself, he knew he was overqualified to be a meager security guard. Hell, he could probably run against Hwang Bo Wook in the next election cycle and _win_. "Do you smoke, drink, or take any recreational or medical drugs?" Chae Ryung asked.

So nodded. "I don't smoke and have never been one to drink. I don't take any medication of any kind." The lies rolled effortlessly off of his tongue. He held his hands against his front, standing straight and maintaining eye contact. Was it really this easy to infiltrate a high profile family's home?

Then again, So had spent the past week fabricating his existence. From a diploma from Yonsei University to vacation photos to post on his Instagram, he had doctored an entire past and present. One of his work associates had also posed for photos for him, acting as an ex-girlfriend. Anything and everything about the new Wang So was Photoshopped to make him the perfect candidate for this family.

He jumped through Chae Ryung's hoops without a bat of an eye. He spoke the languages he knew: Korean, Chinese, Russian, English. He performed taekwondo and kung fu for the head of the security team. They even had him list off the politicians he had voted for in the past. So lied on those.

In no time, he was being led into a mahogany office with floor to ceiling bookshelves and antique artwork on the walls. Wang So met eyes with Hwang Bo Wook- the richest politician in the country.

The man was the same age as So- thirty-seven. He maintained the cool facade of a politician and sat straight, folding his reading glasses and setting them onto his desk. His black hair was styled neatly and his suit was Italian. "Wang So, I assume," the politician stated.

So bowed. "It is a pleasure to meet you," he said. If there was one thing So prided himself on, it was his fiendish ability to act in any given situation.

Hwang Bo Wook nodded as he read over something on his tablet- no doubt it was So's resume and whatever information Hwang Bo Wook had dug up about him. "You're quite overqualified to be a mere security guard. Your skill set would be wasted on sitting around watching old CCTV footage," Wook said, his deep voice one that appealed to three fourths of the city's voters. He set the tablet down and laced his fingers together. "No girlfriend, no family obligations, a degree in law, and fluency in four languages. Yet instead of being a politician or a lawyer, you apply to be a security guard. Why?"

So had prepared for that exact question. "I want to protect the man I voted for. I know that there are people who think your policies are bad and the laws you ask for are wrong, but I believe in you and I want to protect you because I think you are the future of this country."

He studied Wook's expressions, noticing no change in the man's poker face. "Aimless flattery," Wook stated. "In any case, you won't be wasted on watching security footage, nor will you be protecting me. Instead, you will be acting as my wife's personal bodyguard."

So raised an eyebrow. He knew exactly who the wife was while also knowing nothing about her. Hae Soo, the beloved daughter of Hae Ha Jin and In Gu Go Myung. She was how Hwang Bo Wook had become so filthy rich. Her parents had invested billions of won into Wook and raised him from a regular lawyer to a politician worthy of their daughter.

There were little to no pictures of Hae Soo on the internet and from what So could find, she was a secluded woman who did not enjoy press. Any images of Hae Soo showed her in a hat, her hand covering her face, or blocked by a different person. She had two children with Hwang Bo Wook- both daughters. Neither of the girls' names were revealed to the public and no one knew what the children or their mother looked like. So was perplexed.

"Of course, sir," So replied. "Anything you need of me." It was no easy task becoming someone's personal bodyguard, but So found that he had been sent straight into the belly of the beast without much of a fight.

"Chae Ryung will inform you of my wife's schedule and activities. Your room will be prepared in the servant's quarters and you may move in tonight. You may leave now."

So bowed once more before exiting the lavish office and shutting the door behind him. Chae Ryung stood beside the door, a warm smile on her face. "Welcome to the team," she chuckled, her old facade gone. So knew that she had put on a blank face for his own sake. If he had gotten rejected, it would have been easier not to have smiled at him. "It's been awhile since we've had a new bodyguard on the team. Let me show you around and then I'll introduce you to everyone."

Nodding, So followed Chae Ryung as she led him throughout the house. "As a personal bodyguard, you'll need to know how every part of the house looks. It's very important that you do."

The front door was locked with two combinations: one for the servants to access and one for the homeowners. The passwords for the servants were changed weekly while the homeowners' were changed every three months. "It's because the girls aren't old enough to quickly memorize different combinations," Chae Ryung explained as she showed So the code he would use if he ever needed to enter the house via the front. "Seven, three, nine, nine, two, six, two," she punched the code in. "We will always have a seven pin code while Mr. Hwang Bo and his wife have a five-pin code. The gate has a four-pin code, but all of the cars have detection cards, so unless the gate is broken or you're on foot, you won't ever have to manually enter that one."

Beyond the front door was the foyer and the sitting room to the left. This time around, it was closed off with sliding doors. "Whether someone is in the room or not, a closed door must be knocked on. If there's no response within ten seconds, you can enter."

Chae Ryung knocked on the wood paneling of the doors before waiting. "Enter," a voice came from inside. Wook. So watched as Chae Ryung slid a door to the side to reveal the baseball game was still on the TV. Mr. Hwang Bo stood at the drink stand beneath a painting, pouring himself a snifter of auburn liquid. The master of the house nodded to them both before sitting down on the sofa and loosening his tie, his attention on the game.

Chae Ryung did not speak until the doors were closed once more. "Mr. Hwang Bo enjoys baseball and is an avid fan of the Samsung Lions. He takes the family to watch games whenever he has the time- Mrs. Hae has a stake in the company. You'll probably be joining them in the box they have."

There was a room with nothing but a grand piano and a vase of roses inside. The walls were lined with pictures of family. _The_ family. So examined each one as he passed them by. "The oldest is Mi. She's seven and attends a private school. Usually Mrs. Hae will pick her up from school, but that job could fall to any one of us at any moment."

So stared at the image of a little girl with big brown eyes and dark hair in a tight braid. She beamed at the camera, showing off a missing front tooth. "She knocked it out playing with her father," Chae Ryung chuckled. "Ran straight into a wall."

"The youngest is Yoon. She just turned three last week. She attends daycare for four hours a day, but usually follows her mother unless she's home." So nodded as he examined the next picture. This child also had enormous brown eyes.

So paused at the large wedding photo of Hwang Bo Wook and Hae Soo. Both smiled at the camera, but So felt mesmerised by the large eyes that beamed at him. It was clear who had birthed both girls. Hae Soo wore a white gown with lace sleeves, her dark hair braided intricately behind her head. Her smile was warm and So realized why Hwang Bo Wook would not want pictures of his wife on the internet; she would easily become more famous than him. "Mrs. Hae is thirty-three. She's four years younger than her husband," Chae Ryung explained.

They toured the bedrooms- too many for a family of four in So's opinion. "There are two guest bedrooms and the girls each have a room. Mr. Hwang Bo and his wife share a bedroom and one of the rooms has been converted to a study for the Mrs." _Filthy rich_ , So thought.

He was allowed into each room and allowed to examine the bathrooms as well. Mi's room was painted light pink and a fluffy sheepskin rug sat on the clean floor, all of the dolls that had been scattered around gone. A white chandelier illuminated the room and a door led to a marble bathroom with gold waterspouts shaped like swans. The room So stood in would make any princess cry in envy. He noticed the three designer backpacks that sat in the closet in varying shades of pink. "Her outfits are chosen by her mother every morning and Mi gets to choose her backpack and accessories," Chae Ryung said. "Mr. Hwang Bo and Mrs. Hae are very active in the lives of their children."

Yoon's room was light blue and held not a trace of pink. Her bed was the same size as Mi's but was walled on either side- the youngest fell off the bed. "Yoon goes to daycare later than Mi, so she stays home for a while longer." This room was themed gold and blue, and So stared at the crayon scribbles on the walls. "The girls' bedrooms are the only rooms in the house with surveillance, but only their parents and I have access to the security footage. Mostly it's just to make sure they don't fall off of their beds."

So felt nothing as he walked through the girls' bedrooms. These were children whose snacks and dinner he would have to poison. He did not need to force any emotional connection with these two little girls.

The offices were nothing special. Mrs. Hae seemed to be interested in the stock market; a screen on her wall constantly relayed the rise and fluctuation of indexes. Her husband was more interested in keeping his screen on the news.

The servants' quarters was the area where Chae Ryung had first interviewed him. There were four small bedrooms: one for Chae Ryung, a maid, Wook's bodyguard, and for So. They would share two bathrooms between the four of them. These bathrooms were not made of marble, but clean and neat. One bathroom had a shower; the other had a bathtub. "We provide our own toiletries and rent is cut from our paycheck, but it's honestly such a small amount it doesn't matter. The family is very choosy about who lives in the house, so most of the staff have to commute."

"Why am I being given a bedroom?" So asked. "I've just gotten the job; they can't trust me this quickly, right?"

Chae Ryung shook her head- as if to call him a fool. "I conducted a full background check on you, So."

In the kitchen, a chef cleaned the gas stovetops. _Gas... they can clearly afford electric stoves yet they use gas. Are they pandering?_ The black dining room table could fit twenty people. There was a plethora of knives in the kitchen and it was accessible to any of the household staff. Easy. "We eat in the staff lounge, but when no one's home we usually eat in the dining room. The chef is Moon Pil Gyu. He cooks for us and the family."

The master bedroom was the largest bedroom in the house. So and Chae Ryung walked through the room and he took note of everything. Three windows and a balcony with a glass sliding door. The master bedroom was at the back of the house.

A king sized bed sat in the center of the room, covered in a thick white and gold duvet. There were two walk in closets and an adjoining bathroom made of white marble. An ancient Korean painting hung on one of the walls- a tiger stalking through fields of grass. So could pinpoint five hiding spots- seven if the walk-in closets had high ledges. He noticed the vanity also held a few objects that could be used as weapons. He wondered if the silver hairbrush was solid.

The rest of the house was a backyard, garden, stone shrine, and garage. The Hwang Bo family owned three black Equus with heavily tinted windows. However the garage currently held one car- Mr. Hwang Bo's. _Loyal to the nation's economy…_ So almost smirked. The ability to afford a Rolls Royce meant nothing when one's husband was a politician. Korean cars only.

"One drives Mr. Hwang Bo around, the other drives Mrs. Hae around, and the third is for the girls, errands, or when a decoy is needed. Each car is equipped with any and all emergency supplies."

Before they could return inside, So watched as Chae Ryung's touched the bluetooth in her ear. "This is the Governess, who's speaking? Ah… I see, poor thing. Is she… of course. I will inform her mother. Thank you."

Chae Ryung held up a finger for So to wait as she called another person. "Hello? Mrs. Hae, I'm so sorry to bother you. It seems Mi threw up at school. Should I send a car? Oh, ok then. I'll have the cook prepare something warm. Should I inform Mr. Hwang Bo- of course."

She ended the call before looking at So. "The girls are coming home early. Her mother's bringing them home now. Come on, let's go inside. I'll introduce you to the staff later."

When they returned indoors, So was quickly assigned a pair of house slippers and caught up with the dress code. "Formal unless you're told to be in plain clothes. Socks are always required. Neckties must be colorful; the girls like bright things, so no black, gray, white, or brown ties unless you're attending a formal event."

The chef was informed that Mi would be taking clear broth and rice porridge, and So watched as the maids flurried about. A handbook was thrust into his hands and So looked at the large binder that detailed each protocol he would have to follow while being Hae Soo's personal bodyguard.

From his position in the kitchen, So listened as about twenty minutes later the front gate opened. Later, he watched as Hwang Bo Wook rushed out the back door of the house before returning, carrying a pale looking little girl. Mi wrapped her arms around her father's neck as Chae Ryung moved to remove the ballet flats on the girl's feet.

Behind Wook, So watched as his wife stepped in, disheveled and worried. She wore a blue top with her husband's coat on top of her shoulders as well as a ruined white skirt. Her hair was roughly tied back into a ponytail and she carried her younger daughter in her arms while handing Chae Ryung her soiled coat. "Give her a shower and I'll go as soon as I'm changed," she called to her husband before carrying Yoon with her towards the master bedroom.

So watched as the mistress of the house rushed past him, not even sparing him a second glance.


	3. Lady

**Wang So**

He moved into the house that evening, quietly dragging in two suitcases of his belongings into the house that revolved like the gears of a clock.

His room was furnished with a comfortable bed, a desk, and a small fridge for any foods he might want to keep. The four walls were papered with flying cranes and his closet was small and clean, easily carrying all of his clothing. It was a cozy space that would have cost a fortune if it were its own house on the street he now lived on.

He sat in the lounge area provided for the staff, glancing over at Wook's bodyguard who took a nap on the other side of the long sofa. So read his job manual while watching other staff members come and go. Some grabbed drinks from the fridge while others stopped to introduce themselves to him.

 _The bodyguard shall always accompany the mistress of the house in all of her actions unless she is inside the Hwang Bo house. If she is visiting family or friends, the bodyguard will remain within shouting distance and make sure there are no photographers or threats._

 _The bodyguard must keep the mistress safe, but if any harm is to come to the family, unless there are other guards present, he must care for the children before the mistress._

 _Order of assistance is as follows: Hwang Bo Yoon, Hwang Bo Mi, Hae Soo, Hwang Bo Wook. If other personnel are present, the bodyguard will only care for the mistress and Hwang Bo Yoon._

Twenty pages of instructions. So read and read, memorizing his new occupation and wondering why there were so many rules. "'Do not mention cats in front of Hwang Bo Mi,' are they serious?" He looked up at Chae Ryung as she pulled her hair from its bun.

"Dead serious. I wrote that rule," she sighed, massaging her scalp. "Mi has wanted a cat ever since she was four, but Mrs. Hae is allergic to cats, so they avoid the conversation entirely. Mi doesn't say she wants a cat unless reminded. Hey, new members of the staff always have one dinner with the family to introduce themselves and get to know them, so you'd better get to the dining room."

So raised an eyebrow but complied, adjusting his suit and making sure his orange tie was straight. He walked to the dining room where the family was sitting down to dinner.

Contrasting from the sharply dressed Hwang Bo Wook he had seen earlier, So noticed that the family was more laid back in the evening. Wook wore a white t-shirt and long pants. Beside him, his wife sat in a house dress, her youngest in her lap. Mi sat beside her mother, refusing to eat the porridge in front of her. The girls wore matching sweaters and leggings.

"Ah, Wang So, good timing," Wook said when he noticed So. "Please come sit with us."

So took the seat beside Wook and gazed out at the traditional Korean food laid out before him. He did not remember the last time he had eaten a home cooked meal. However, what interested him more was the way Hae Soo stared at him. It almost seemed as if she was annoyed.

"Wook, I don't need a bodyguard," she sighed. _Ah_ , So thought. _Well I don't want to protect you either._

Hae Soo fed Yoon rice and soup as Wook chuckled. "Soo, I told you, it's been too long since the last one quit-"

"You paid him for no reason! I'm fine!"

"Mommy, my tummy hurts," Mi whined. So watched Soo turn from her husband to her second to her firstborn.

"Baby, please just try a little broth," she said softly. Her hand rested on Mi's shoulder, smoothing out the wrinkled sweater. Mi shook her head and Soo nodded. "Alright, then you can watch a movie in the sitting room. Ask one of the maids to turn on Frozen."

Soo scoffed when the little girl immediately perked up and scampered away from the table. "Thank you, Mommy!"

So ate slowly, listening to Hae Soo declare once more that she did not need a bodyguard.

She was beautiful in a peculiar way, he decided. Not the type of beauty that would grace runways or magazine covers, she had an expression that made one feel safe. Her wide eyes and gentle smile made whoever was on the receiving end feel warm and happy. Her dark hair was short and reached her slim shoulders in soft waves. Her body was small but womanly, and she seemed more beautiful when she was fussing over her children.

"Soo, you're getting a bodyguard whether you like it or not. I cannot have your safety jeopardized. Think of the children," Wook said to his wife.

"Children!" Yoon shouted, her little voice louder than her father's. Both Wook and Soo smiled at their daughter who proudly devoured the stir-fried anchovies her mother offered her. "I a children!"

"Yoonie is a child," Wook corrected her.

Sighing, Soo met eyes with So. He set his chopsticks down as she looked him over. Pursing her lips, she glanced from him to Yoon to Wook to Yoon again. "Fine," she relented. "I guess it's my fault for marrying a politician."

"I was a lawyer when you married me, dear."

"Same difference."

When the meal was over, So quietly left the table. He studied the relationship between Hae Soo and Hwang Bo Wook. Theirs was a happy marriage. Hwang Bo Wook doted on his wife who offered companionship and love in return. Their children were happy, their marriage was strong, and they were apparently planning on sleeping with the children that evening.

"Have the sofas moved and blankets laid out in the sitting room," Wook called to one of the maids. "We'll all watch a movie and sleep there. After that, you're all free to call it a night."

* * *

The next morning, So was up at four, worked out by five-thirty, and washed and dressed by six.

He ate breakfast in the lounge with a maid and Wook's bodyguard. The chef had sent large portions of rice, kimchi, stir fried spinach, and bean paste stew. A simple, filling breakfast.

After eating, So checked his work e-mail and made sure no other clients had asked for his _special_ services. He took his name off that market indefinitely.

An itinerary on the wall of the lounge dictated the family's events and movements. Printed each morning and stabbed onto a corkboard by Chae Ryung, it was a long list of scheduled activities as well as a few things that could happen.

Due to Mi's sudden sickness, Soo would stay home to care for her daughter. Yoon's day would proceed as planned: daycare from nine to one; piano lessons from one ten to two; home for lessons with Chae Ryung. Wook would leave for work at eight twenty and return home at an undisclosed time. Tonight, he was having dinner with colleagues.

So stepped into the house for the first time as an employee and was surprised to see Yoon munching on a roll stuffed with red bean. She walked right past him, her little legs carrying her toward the kitchen. "I want milk!" She toddled around in various directions, in search of the cook or a maid.

" _Please!_ " So heard Chae Ryung call to the little girl. "The proper way is 'I want milk, _please'._ "

Yoon turned and So met eyes with the small child, glancing at her yellow pajamas, duck printed pajamas. She munched on her bread without breaking eye contact. "Is it good?" So asked.

"No," the girl snapped before giggling and smudging red bean onto her shirt.

So nodded serenely. "Then why are you eating it?" he asked. Yoon pursed her little lips as she took another bite of her bread.

"Yoonie, baby, you need to eat at the table." So turned to see Hae Soo walking past him. She picked her toddler up and kissed the girl's chubby cheeks. "Oh, you got it all over your shirt! Grandma got you these pajamas," she moaned. Soo looked at So and he bowed.

"Good morning," he greeted her.

"Good morning." Hae Soo smiled. "I don't think there's much for you to do today; I'm staying home with Mi. You can accompany me when I take this monkey to daycare."

"Of course," he stated. So watched as she walked away, the slim cut of her pants defining her legs. From behind, he could see her bottom was small and her waist even smaller. He wondered how she had carried a child with that petit body.

When it was time for for Wook to go to work, Soo and the children were at the door to see him off. He knelt to kiss each daughter on the forehead before standing to kiss his wife. "Don't drink too much tonight," Soo said as he walked out the door to where the car was waiting.

After Wook left, So waited by the car for Soo and Yoon to arrive. To his surprise, the pair stepped out the front door, making for the gate. Soo wore a fur coat and Yoon was bundled in a blue parka. Mother and daughter held hands as they waited for the front gate to open.

So jogged out to where they were, immediately standing behind Soo. "Keep up, Mr. Bodyguard," she chuckled. "Unless it's raining, we walk to the bus stop."

So offered to carry the little backpack in Soo's grasp but she declined. "It's a tiny backpack. I think I can handle it."

They walked down the street and So noticed that other houses seemed to not have children. Only one other house on their street sent forth a child, but this offspring of filthy rich parents was a teenager who waited for his gate to open on his bike. "Good morning, Mrs. Hae!" the boy called.

"Hi, Jung!" Soo called back. Yoon waved at the boy who biked over to where they stood. So frowned when the boy stopped his bike and patted Yoon's head.

"Hey, munchkin," he greeted the girl. "Going to daycare?"

Yoon stuck her tongue out at Jung. So watched as the teenager stuck his tongue out at the child. The two seemed equally matched in brain capacity and began taking turns poking each other.

"Are you ready for your taekwondo exams?" Soo asked the boy as he walked with her. "You're late for school, aren't you?"

The boy only laughed. "It's winter break, Mrs. Hae. I'm going to meet my friends today. We're going to a PC bang and playing League of Legends all day," he explained. Soo patted Jung's shoulder when he bowed to her before pedaling away at full speed.

"That boy's going to get himself killed," Soo sighed to herself. So continued to walk in silence behind the mother and daughter until they reached a corner where two other children waited with their fur-clad mothers. "Good morning," Soo said to the other parents.

Yoon, after accepting her backpack from her mother, scampered off to greet a girl with pigtails as Soo stood with the other adults. So wondered if his employers expected him to wait around and listen to parents gab about their children until the order came for him to eliminate Hwang Bo Wook and his family. He could see why his colleagues did not take 'indefinite' orders.

A yellow bus approached and a teacher stepped out from the vehicle. So noticed that she did not even bat an eye in his direction. "Good morning, she greeted the children. The children bowed to their teacher who nodded. "Bow to your mothers," she said.

So watched the children turn toward their mothers and press their hands to their stomachs, bowing deeply. And then they were gone- whisked away on a bus to go to daycare.

He watched as Hae Soo waved goodbye to the other mothers before turning back toward the house. "Ugh, I wish Kim Yeon Hwa would shove her son's Ivy League degree up her ass. I don't care that he graduated at sixteen," she grumbled, crossing her arms. "So what if my kid can barely count to twenty. She's fine!"

So quietly scoffed, holding his hand to his mouth as Hae Soo grumbled to herself.

He looked up when Soo paused and turned toward him, glaring. "You just laughed," she accused, pointing at him.

 _I'm four years older than you and you're pointing a finger at me,_ he thought to himself. "Apologies, madam," So stated. "I found your tirade amusing, is all."

Soo made an indignant face and So blinked. They stared each other down before Soo humphed and continued walking. "I mean, if I had a kid at twenty like she did, then maybe Mi would have been a genius, but you know what? I love my munchkins whether they're geniuses or not!"

When they arrived home, So put in the code for Soo and opened the gate for her, standing back as she stepped into her home. He then returned to her side to open the front door for her.

Soo's boots came off and a maid set them aside. So quietly thanked the maid for doing the same with his shoes.

"Mi! Mommy's back!" Soo called out. She handed her coat over to the maid and walked to the sitting room where the top of Mi's frizzy hair peeked from the white sofa. Cartoons were on the TV and a tray of soft foods sat on the table in front of the little girl.

So accompanied Soo to the sitting room and watched as she settled down on the L-shaped sofa beside her daughter, stretching her legs out. Mi clambered onto her lap and curled against Soo's body. Quietly, the pair watched cartoons while So watched Soo brush through the knots in Mi's hair with her fingers.

"How's your tummy?" Soo asked. Mi hummed and snuggled closer to her mother. Soo lifted a hand and waved at So. He raised an eyebrow at her movements. "Could you hand me that blanket?" she called to him. Her hand pointed toward the comforter by her feet.

Stepping forward, So walked around the sofa and grabbed the blue blanket, opening it over mother and child. Like a tent, the soft material fluttered over them until both were covered. Soo thanked him with a smile before continuing to hug her daughter.

Standing behind the two, So wondered for a moment what it would be like to have a child. He was at the age to be a father. Most men in their later thirties were already parents. So was a hitman.

He imagined having a spunky girl like Yoon or having a delicate daughter like Mi.

When the thirty minute cartoon segment ended, Soo turned the tv off. Sighing, she patted her daughter's hair. "She fell asleep," she murmured.

So stood by as Soo rubbed Mi's back. "Mr. Bodyguard, can you please turn the lights off? You're free to go now. I'm not going to move for a while," she quietly said to him.

The lights were dimmed.

So spared a glance at the pair before he left. Hae Soo closed her eyes and leaned her head back as her daughter slept on top of her.

* * *

Hours passed in a rush of memorization. So read through the handbook he had been given, memorizing the minute details of the cogs of the household.

There seemed to be a strict hierarchy that dictated the movement of the household. Hwang Bo Wook and his wife were at the top of the pyramid. Of course they were; they controlled everyone's salaries.

Beneath them was Chae Ryung. As the governess of the children and caretaker of the house, she ran all home affairs and made sure work progressed in an orderly manner.

The children were directly beneath their governess. Mi and Yoon- as little as they were- were third in the household.

Beneath the children were personal bodyguards- So and Wook's guard. Due to their being responsible for the safety of the heads of the family, they were above all other security personnel and had the authority to dictate the security team's actions. In the case of an emergency, they even had a say over Chae Ryung. So felt that his power was well deserved. After all, it required a college degree, mastery of two languages, and mastery of two types of martial arts to be a personal bodyguard in the Hwang Bo house. Any idiot with a head on his shoulders and a body in mediocre physical condition could get a job watching over the family's security feed.

Rank fell from then on. Beneath So there was the cook, the maids, and security team. Hwang Bo Wook owned a small office space in a building just outside the neighborhood and his security team worked from there, monitoring the house and making sure there was peace in the land. So found it amusing that he had more authority over the security team even though he had worked for the family for only a day so far. He made plans to visit the office on the terms of an office call.

So looked around and watched as his breath curled into steam in the cold air. It was not yet winter, but Seoul was growing chilly. He followed behind Hae Soo and Mi as they walked to where the school bus would drop Yoon off. The mother and daughter held hands, a pink glove reaching to hold onto a French manicure.

He watched the little girl scamper off the bus, hugging her sister before going to ram into her mother's knees. Soo gasped when Yoon collided with her knees, unprepared for the sudden collision.

Teetering, she slipped backwards from the force of impact… and knocked into So's chest as he caught her against his body. So's hands rose to brace her fall, catching her by the hips. "Oh my goodness," Soo exclaimed, pushing away from him.

So adjusted his suit as Soo turned to Yoon, asking if she was alright. Taking a knee, Soo held her daughter by the elbows. "Hwang Bo Yoon, you shouldn't run into people. I might have gotten hurt." Her voice grew strict and her gaze hardened as she frowned at her daughter. Yoon's bottom lip jutted out as her mother scolded her. She nodded slowly before sniffling and wiping her nose

"I sorry, Mommy," she whimpered. "I sorry."

Soo wrapped her arms around her daughter. "Baby, you didn't hurt me, but you almost did. Please just be careful next time, okay?" When Yoon nodded her assent, Soo kissed her forehead.

Pressing his fingertips to his lips, So viewed the mother and her children. He watched with piqued interest as Soo handled the situation calmly and directly. As they continued walking, he wondered if he had imagined the whiff of honey from Soo's skin.

"Thank you for catching me." Soo turned to him as the girls ran off when they saw the house. She stood beside So as he nodded.

"It's nothing," he replied. She gave him a peculiar smile before walking ahead of him, her coat brushing his shoulders.

So inhaled. She smelled like roses and honey.

* * *

 **A thousands blessings upon my amazing beta Krysyuy.**


	4. Demonic

**Hae Soo**

Soo collapsed onto Wook's chest, gasping for breath. Her hair curtained around them and she gazed at Wook as he panted beneath her. His eyes stared up at the ceiling and Soo saw a smile on her husband's wet lips. She lifted her hips from where they were connected, removing Wook's member from her and rolling off of her husband. Her chest rose and fell with each static breath she released.

Sitting up, Soo reached over Wook for the cup of water he kept beside the bed. She felt the blanket slide down her body and smirked when Wook's hand reached to fondle her breast. "Thief," he called her. "That's my water."

She drank from her husband's cup before cheekily smiling at him. The cold water washed over her parched mouth and wet her lips, preparing her just a little bit further for the day. Wook sat up and accepted the cup from her hands, drinking the rest. He set the glass back onto the nightstand before slipping out of bed. "Stay." Soo reached to grasp Wook's hand.

Catching his pinkie and ring finger, she held him back, meeting his eyes. She could feel the warm gold of his wedding band against her palm and with her eyes, she implored him to remain. "Let's just stay in bed today. I want to be with you."

They stared at each other and Soo smiled when Wook knelt back onto the bed, feeling the mattress dip beneath his knee. His hands caressed either side of her face and Soo closed her eyes as he pressed a kiss to her lips before placing a quick peck to her nose. Wook's hands ran down her shoulders before squeezing her elbows. "The staff will be up and the girls need to get ready," he said quietly.

When Soo opened her eyes, Wook was already entering their shared bathroom.

Sighing, she looked around the empty bed before nodding. He was right. The morning was already underway. There was no time to lay in bed.

Her legs met the cold morning air and Soo shivered before making for the bathroom. She was met with a gust of steam and knew that Wook was already in the shower. She made the choice not to join him, using a tissue to clean between her legs and proceeding to brush her teeth and go about her morning ablutions, listening to Wook practice a speech while he washed his hair.

Soo brushed her hair as Wook stepped out of the shower, drenched and glistening in the white lights. She smiled at him through the mirror as he dried himself off. Wook tossed his towel over his head and shoulders before kissing her cheek.

She followed him out of the bathroom and to their separate closets. Soo looked at the collection of winter clothes that had replaced her summer outfits. No doubt Chae Ryung had sent her measurements to a stylist and made sure each piece of couture was tailored to her exact specifications.

She slipped a bra and put underwear on as Wook asked if she had seen his watch case. "I told Chae Ryung to put the case on my vanity- have you checked there?" she called in return. Black lace clung to her skin and she stepped out of her closet to make sure Wook had found the box.

He sat at her vanity, examining his watches. In only a button down and boxers, Wook dried his hair as he picked a leather strap up before setting it down. Wook glanced up at her and offered a smile when he noticed her lingerie. "Who do you plan on enticing with those panties?" he asked, strapping a gold watch to his wrist. Soo playfully shook her hips before sashaying away.

"Maybe I'll use these on my bodyguard so you'll get rid of him!" Soo said as she pulled a shirt over her head. Her hands dragged the blouse over her torso.

"I know you're joking, but please know that this is all for your protection." Wook's reply was instantaneous.

Soo scoffed as she buttoned her pants. She poked out of her closet and watched Wook as he pulled a jacket on. "I don't need protection and I certainly don't need your guard dog breathing behind me all day."

"His name is Wang So. He's a Yonsei University graduate." Wook smiled at Soo as she threw her hands up in exasperation. She sat at her vanity to do her makeup. "He's the most overqualified bodyguard I've ever hired and I'm sure your father would approve of my choice. Speaks four languages and knows like four types of martial arts. I dug some information up about him. He was in the Navy."

Soo only scoffed. "I'm going to lose my mind," she muttered. She set her mascara down as Wook pressed a hand to her shoulder. "If he is so overqualified, then why is he my bodyguard and not some corporate lawyer?"

"Says he wants to protect the man he voted for."

"Patriotic much?"

Standing, she walked to Wook's closet and sifted through the neckties that sat, color coordinated, on stacked shelves. Her hands chose a blue tie with a platinum tie pin. Oh so gently, their colors matched. Wook's suit and Soo's black sapphire earrings; the blue of his necktie and the lighter shade of her blouse. They complemented each other, neither matching nor not.

The tie was wrapped around Wook's throat and Soo completed a Windsor knot, adjusting the silk before clipping the pin in place and smoothing her hands over her husband's chest. "I don't and will never approve of your choice to throw a bodyguard onto me," she sighed.

They exited the bedroom together. Soo was greeted by Chae Ryung and Wook was greeted by his secretary. Both attendants handed their employers their itineraries, citing the more important aspects of the day.

Soo and Wook scanned over the materials before handing them back. Together, they walked past the two bodyguards that waited in the hallway. Soo eyed Wang So as he adjusted his jacket. He wore a black suit with a green tie, his slim body fitting easily into the polished cut of his jacket. They met eyes and Soo quickly averted her gaze. The two guards bowed and Soo greeted them with a smile. She did not look at Wang So again.

Up the stairs and each taking a separate bedroom, the parents separated to wake their daughters.

Soo walked into Mi's bedroom and turned the lights on, humming softly. Opening the drapes that covered the windows, she allowed sunlight to stream into the bedroom before sitting down on the bed and tossing stuffed animals aside to sit beside her girl.

Mi drooled onto her pillowcase, her dark hair a rat's nest against white pillows. Her hands were raised high above her head and her shirt rode up to show her belly. Soo smiled down at her little girl, brushing hair away from Mi's face.

"Mi," she sang. "Hwang Bo Mi, it's morning. The sun is up." Soo pulled Mi's shirt down and rested her hand against the center of Mi's chest, gently rubbing circles into the sleeping girl's shirt. "Mi… time to wake up."

In seconds, Mi was yawning and opening her eyes, revealing the same irises that belonged to Soo. "Hi Mommy," she groaned, stretching her arms out.

"Hi baby." Soo kissed her daughter's forehead and used her thumb to wipe the drool from Mi's cheek. "Time to get dressed. Grandma and Grandpa are coming today."

"Because it's the weekend?" Mi asked as she sat up.

Soo nodded and patted Mi on the back, waking the tired seven-year-old. "I think my schedule said the cook is making crepes this morning. I bet if you ask nicely, he'll sprinkle some chocolate chips in there."

In an instant, Mi was dashing out of bed and toward her bathroom. Soo listened as her daughter dragged her step stool up the the sink and began running water.

She stood and approached Mi's closet, looking over the designerware that had been unpacked, dry cleaned, and hung just the night before. Winter wear had made its entrance upon the Hae-Hwang Bo household.

As she touched a cashmere sweater, a scream came from the next room and Soo smiled when she heard Wook shout, "I'm gonna catch you and I'm gonna eat you when I do! Roar!"

Soo gasped in feigned surprise when her youngest barrelled into the room in only a pair of pajama bottoms, squealing, "Daddy's gonna eat me!"

"Oh no!" Soo exclaimed as Yoon took cover behind her legs.

"Sh, Mommy!"

Soo smiled when Wook walked into the bedroom, his hands clasped behind his back. "Hello, dear. Have you seen a baby dinosaur anywhere?" he asked Soo. "I've misplaced one and I'm getting very hungry."

Shrugging her shoulders, Soo shook her head. "I don't know. I haven't seen any baby dinosaurs… have you checked the bed?"

Wook raised his eyebrows before swiftly bringing his hand down onto Mi's pink bedsheets and tossing them aside. "Nothing!"

Soo held her hands to her mouth when Yoon giggled from behind, only peeking her head out. "Here, Daddy!" she laughed. Wook lunged for the girl and Soo smiled when he caught Yoon by the armpits, hoisting her into the air and bringing her little belly against his mouth.

Wook blew against Yoon's stomach, causing the little girl to shriek at the flatulent sounds and squirm with laughter. "Daddy, no! Don't eat me!"

Soo turned to the sound of the bathroom door opening and smiled when Mi stepped out. "Ready to get dressed?" she asked.

"Good morning, princess," Wook said as he placed Yoon onto the bed. Walking over to Mi, he crouched to her height in order to pick her up and press two kisses to each of her cheeks. "Did you sleep well?" he asked.

Mi nodded and wrapped her arms around Wook's neck. "I did," she yawned. "I wanted to sleep more but Mommy said the cook is making chocolate chip crepes."

Wook nodded with a grin. "Chocolate crepes? We'll have to get them before Mommy eats them all!" he exclaimed, tickling Mi. The two laughed and Soo reached to pull Mi's pajama shirt off, handing a yellow sweater and a pair of jeans over to Wook as she folded the purple tee. "Dress her, please. I'll take care of the dinosaur."

"Roar!" Yoon shouted.

"Roar!" Soo echoed her daughter. "Come on, Yoon, dinosaurs can't be naked in the twenty-first century," she said, picking the little girl up.

Soo accepted a wet kiss on the cheek from her daughter before taking the girl back to her bedroom. "Alright, I guess today's a dinosaur day?"

"I a T-rex!"

Chuckling, Soo opened Yoon's closet and selected two shirts that featured dinosaurs on them. Holding them out, she motioned for Yoon to point to which massive lizard she wanted to wear. Yoon chose a gray shirt with a Tyrannosaurus on it.

With the shirt went polka dot leggings and Yoon's dark hair was brushed and pulled back with a cat-eared headband.

Soo sent the little girl off to the dining room as Mi emerged from her bedroom dressed in the outfit Soo had chosen for her.

Standing in the hallway with Wook, Soo leaned against her husband as they watched Mi run down the stairs and Yoon take them one at a time, holding onto the guardrail with her chubby hands. Soo felt her husband wrap an arm around her waist. "I wish they'd stop growing," she sighed.

"So do I," Wook said. "How about we go get some crepes before my parents arrive?"

Nodding, Soo tried to find Wook's heartbeat, pressing her head closer to his chest. Once, the very thought of having him near had comforted her, but through the layers of his suit, she could barely gather the thrum of his pulse. "Why do we allow your parents to come whenever they want?" she asked. "Even my parents don't come by this often."

"They're my parents, Soo. We should be welcoming." Wook kept an arm around her as they walked down the stairs together. Soo passed by Wang So as he spoke with Chae Ryung about car placements for the day. He glanced up at her and she looked away. "Besides, they've come every weekend for the past seven years. I thought you would have gotten used to it by now."

Soo pressed her head against Wook's shoulder and sighed when Mi shouted that Yoon was pulling her hair. Chae Ryung ran past Wook as she made for where the children were. "Hwang Bo Yoon! I thought I told you hair was off-limits!"

* * *

Soo smiled at her in-laws. She pretended to smooth the creases of her pants while wiping her sweaty palms against the stiff material.

She nodded at the story Wook's mother told; she had stopped listening so long ago. Something about having to declare herself the mother-in-law of the child of the Chairman of the Hae Group… or something. Soo lost count of how many times Wook's mother had declared herself as 'the mother-in-law of Hae Ha Jin's daughter'.

They took tea in the glass orangery at the back of the house, sitting on cushions on the heated floor. While Mi and Yoon regaled their grandparents with stories about school and daycare, Soo sat stiffly beside Wook, sipping tea and hoping to any god that would listen that her in-laws would leave soon.

"Soo, you look pale. Are you sick?" Wook's mother asked. "Dear, you should really know that blue is not your color. It completely washes your skin! And those earrings… dear, you're a mother. Are black earrings really something a mother- even one as young as yourself- should be wearing?"

Smiling, Soo nodded. "Thank you for your advice," she replied calmly, swallowing whatever sarcastic comment that bubbled up within her mind. _Maybe you should stop judging my appearance and tend to the son you care so much about and ignore me for a while_. "I will inform my stylist of your opinion for our summer closets."

"And a dinosaur shirt for Yoon? Shouldn't she be wearing something nicer? She is a chaebol after all," the older woman tutted. "Perhaps a blouse would be better. You seem to be better at dressing yourself than your children."

Soo only smiled as Yoon perked up at the sound of her name. "I a dinosaur!" the toddler declared, curling her fingers into claws. "Roar!"

"Of course you are, dear." Wook's mother gave Yoon a patronizing smile and Soo looked to her husband for help. However, Wook only smiled and sipped his tea, watching as his father bounced Yoon on his knee. "She's an heiress, our little Yoon. Shouldn't she be taught to be seen and not heard? Look at how well behaved Mi is."

At the mention of her name, Mi looked up before moving to sit between Wook and Soo. She held onto her father's hand and whispered something in his ear.

Soo gave Wook's mother a gentle smile. "My husband and I believe that the girls should be allowed to grow up as normally as possible. If Yoon wishes to be a dinosaur, I don't think there is any reason why she should not be one." She would not break. Soo knew that if she broke beneath Wook's mother's stare, she would never be able to hold her own against the woman again.

The older woman pursed her red lips. "Well, if you think that's what's best for them…"

They had lunch and dinner together, signalling a new round of criticism from Wook's mother on how boring the plates looked. "They're just white plates! Why are my grandchildren eating with plastic utensils? Wook, are you eating well these days? Look how thin you've gotten!"

Soo had one bite of each meal before losing her appetite and proceeding to focus on her children, making sure they were eating their food. She listened with one ear as Wook replied that he was eating well and exercising regularly.

Later, once the in-laws had left, Soo's anger boiled over and she sent the girls upstairs before searching for Wook. When she found her husband, Soo demanded to know why he had not defended her against his mother. "I'm your wife- you should take my side!"

Wook looked up from the newspaper he had been reading before folding it and tossing it onto the coffee table his feet were perched on. "Soo, must we do this every time my parents come over?" The dull flop of the papers only angered Soo further.

"Wook, she implied that I care more about myself than my children and she continues to objectify our girls as nothing more than heiresses to my father's company. They aren't objects! They're little girls! They deserve to wear dinosaur shirts and-"

"What do you want me to do?" Wook demanded, his voice growing exasperated. Soo pressed a hand to her forehead.

"Defend me!" she shouted at her husband, unable to hold her rage. "Defend our girls! Must they be objectified by their own grandmother? Must I continually be nitpicked for how I raise my children?! I don't need you to agree with every single thing I say, but some input would be nice. The least you could do is tell your mother our children use plastic utensils so they don't hurt themselves."

She watched as Wook turned to address her, his voice level and cool. He took on the mellow expression he wore during interviews, the political poker face Soo knew very well. "Soo, I can't control my mother, you know that. And I'm sure _you_ could do something as simple as telling her about Yoon and Mi's plastic chopsticks."

Exasperated, Soo crossed her arms and glared at Wook. "I do hope you enjoy sleeping alone tonight," she snapped. "Take your pick of sofas; we have six, don't we? Your mother made sure to inform me that the one in the sitting room is lumpy. I'm sure a maid will see to provide you with sheets and a pillow." She glared at Wook as made her way out of the living room.

"Soo-"

"No! Don't 'Soo' me," she shouted, turning around. "I spent an entire day being attacked by your mother! I think the least I deserve is a bed to myself without a husband that refuses to defend me!"

"What was I supposed to do?!" Wook shouted at her. "Tell my mother to go fuck herself because she didn't like Yoon's shirt?!"

Soo stormed out of the room and froze when she reached the hallway.

Mi and Wang So sat side by side on the floor with their backs pressed against the wall. A pair of black headphones sat over Mi's ears and she glanced up at Soo with wide eyes. "What's this?" Soo asked.

Wang So stood when he noticed her, helping Mi off the ground. "She was afraid, Mrs. Hae," the bodyguard stated with a bow. "Mi refused to go upstairs with Chae Ryung, but she didn't like the shouting, so I gave her my headphones."

Soo bit her bottom lip as her daughter removed the headphones and stared up at her. "Did you and Daddy fight because of Mi and Yoon?" Mi asked, her eyes welling up with tears. Her bottom lip jutted out and quivered as she whimpered, wiping her eyes with her sweater. "I'm sorry, Mommy. I don't want you to fight with Daddy. Please don't fight."

Kneeling, Soo fought her own tears and picked Mi up, cradling the girl's head against her shoulder and gasping when Mi hugged her as tightly as she could. "Oh baby, this isn't your fault," she said to her child. Soo listened as Wook walked up behind her.

"Why is she crying?" he asked.

Turning toward her husband, Soo glared at him before turning to Wang So. "Thank you for caring for my child," she said to him. Then, she turned away from both men and carried Mi toward the master bedroom.

Soo knew Wook followed close behind. She ignored him.

Once inside their bedroom, she heard Wook close the door behind them.

She set Mi down onto the the stool in front of her vanity, kneeling before her daughter so that they were eye to eye. Gazing at her daughter, Soo spoke to the girl in the most comforting voice she could muster. "Sometimes, Mi, Mommy and Daddy fight," Soo said, gently tucking stray hairs behind Mi's ear and looking into the eyes that matched hers. "Mommy and Daddy fight because we need to explain things to each other, but sometimes, only outside voices can get the point across."

Soo felt Wook crouch down beside her and saw the smile he made for Mi. "It is never _ever_ Mi or Yoon's fault that Mommy and Daddy are fighting," she continued. "Mommy and Daddy love Mi and Yoon so so so much. It's just that sometimes, Mommy and Daddy don't agree on things- grown up things. Okay?"

Slowly, the child nodded and Soo wiped her daughter's eyes as Wook kissed her forehead. "Daddy is very sorry that you thought we fought because of you, Mi," he said.

Mi blinked and looked between Soo and Wook, rubbing her eyes. "Can I sleep with both of you tonight?" she asked.

Soo felt herself inhale. "How about," she spoke before Wook could open his mouth. "How about Yoon, Mi, and Mommy have a girls' night?" she suggested. "We'll sleep in a guest room and Mommy will do Mi and Yoon's nails and we can have cookies and watch a movie."

"Soo," Wook muttered through clenched teeth. He continued to smile as Mi wrapped her arms around Soo and agreed, eager to spend an evening with her mother.

Soo later ignored Wook as she held three sets of pajamas out for Mi to decide. "What should Mommy wear tonight?" she asked, displaying a pair of pink pajamas, a white nightgown, and a green set.

"Daddy thinks Mommy should wear the green lace," Wook cleared his throat. He raised an eyebrow at Soo who ignored him.

"Mi's decision is the only one Mommy cares about!" she sang, smiling when her daughter chose the long-sleeved pink set. "Good choice, baby! I was going to choose these too! They cover Mommy's arms and legs _really_ well, don't they?"

Soo changed in front of Wook, removing her blouse and bra and laughing when Mi pointed out a freckle near her breast. "It is funny!" she exclaimed before putting her pajamas on. "Say goodnight to Daddy, Mi," Soo instructed her daughter. She watched as Wook picked Mi up and tossed her into the air before catching her and kissing her cheeks.

"Goodnight, Daddy," Mi smiled.

"Goodnight, Princess," Wook grinned at her. "Can Daddy have a kiss?" he asked. Soo smiled when Wook kissed Mi before setting her down. "Sleep well, Soo," Wook stated, pointedly staring at her. They met eyes with vehemence and she nodded.

"I will." Soo took Mi's hand and led her out of the room. "Let's find your sister and get you baby dinosaurs into pajamas," she said. "Maybe we can ask the cook for some popcorn and chocolate ice cream."


	5. Sacred

**Wang So**

So drove Hae Soo around the city and stood by as she went about her daily activities. She took tea with other rich women; visited orphanages funded by her family; attended shareholders' meetings at her family's corporate headquarters.

There was little to protect her from because the general public did not know what she looked like or who she was. So found himself often sitting around in the car as Hae Soo shared ice cream with her daughter in the backseat. Sometimes, he had a cup of coffee at the cafe where Soo met with her mother. Other times, he stood behind her as she shopped for the girls' toys or met with friends- the most notable being a K-pop star who had attended college with her: Kim Eun. That was the only time So had to actually be on guard. A few random fans had tried to ask if Soo was Eun's girlfriend but with some maneuvering, So placed himself between them before they could even speak.

So found out quite easily that Wook's family was nowhere near as powerful or rich as Soo's by a long shot. While Soo's father was the CEO of one of the largest conglomerates in Korea, Wook's father owned a small name stamp making shop. It was peculiar how two people of such different backgrounds had come together.

A bit of digging had produced a small drawer in the sitting room. Inside was a silk pouch with two name stamps. Hwang Bo Mi's seal was made of white jade and etched with pink butterflies. The date on the pouch was a week after her birth. Hwang Bo Yoon's stamp was green jade and carved with Hanja characters of blessings. Both were made by the shop Wook's father owned and were touching, heartfelt gifts. The children's first stamps were by no means cheap. So knew quality jade when he saw it. Perhaps the old man had used his best for his grandchildren.

Just a few days later, while reviewing the schematics of Soo's office, So had continued his snooping. Inside one of the drawers of her desk, an ornate black box covered in mother-of-pearl butterflies had unearthed itself. Upon further inspection, So had found two name stamps that also featured the names of the children. A note written in smooth calligraphy showed that these stamps were from Hae Soo's father. _For my darling grandbabies. Hwang Bo in name and Hae in blood, these children are blessings from our ancestors. Raise them with wisdom and kindness, Soo._

Mi's stamp was made of black jade and a solid gold dragon with sapphire eyes roared from the handle. Yoon's stamp was ivory and featured a platinum phoenix with ruby eyes. So had no trouble discerning that these were obviously more expensive and held more magnitude than the flowery little trinkets Wook's parents had gifted the girls.

The longer he stayed with the family, the more he realized that the perfect house he had entered was much less than perfect.

Wook and Soo were skewed. They kissed and said they loved each other, had sex and played with their children, but that was it. So only saw them together during meals, with their children, or at night. There were no random phone calls, no dates, no stolen kisses. They acted systematically around each other, becoming machines to the monotony of their rigid schedules. So counted their intimate moments in a day: a kiss at the door to send Wook to work and a kiss at the door if Wook returned home for dinner. That was it.

It was peculiar, So decided. He wondered what Wook did not see in his wife. After all, Hae Soo was almost impeccably lovable.

In just a couple weeks of employment, So had picked up on her habits and her charm. She was witty and lively. She loved her children and she loved warm weather and taking the girls to the park. Soo preferred to buy makeup rather than clothing or handbags. She liked the same tea So did, but preferred cappuccinos more than any other drink.

He noticed that Soo preferred pale pink tones of lipstick to bright reds. Her hair was usually down in a long bob or pinned into a twist. She seemed to favor her right leg more than her left- perhaps and injury to her leg when she had been younger.

She was a kind, just mother who did not favor her children, but tried to raise them fairly. To Yoon she was loud and excited, playing with stuffed dinosaurs and chasing the screaming girl around the house. With Mi she was quiet and soft, brushing the girl's hair and hugging her when she felt shy, comforting the child when she was scared or worried.

While he worked, So kept an eye on Hae Soo, examining her actions and her activities. She hardly ever looked at him but when she did, she looked away just as quickly. He found her intriguing- like a constellation without a shape. She was a jumble of stars that sparkled without line, free to move around as she pleased.

Within his initial days of working in the Hwang Bo house, So knew that he was attracted to his employer's wife. Any idiot with eyes could tell that she was beautiful but So saw her actions toward her children, the staff, and the husband that paid her little attention. Her patience and no-nonsense attitude was respectable while her love and kindness were admirable. She was quirky and cute, snarky and… sexy.

So watched as Hae Soo walked in front of him, her pink Chanel suit setting her off from the other people that walked around the shopping center. So wondered if anyone in the mall had noticed the shadow that continuously tailed the rich woman, keeping tabs on her and making sure no one got too close to her.

A flick of Soo's wrist and So was by her side, ready to answer to her beck and command. "Yes?" he asked, leaning towards her. He was close enough to gather notes of her rosy perfume.

Soo did not look up at him. "Would you walk beside me? I feel lonely without my girls. I'd like to speak with you if that's alright."

And so, after a couple weeks of being under Hae Soo's employ, Wang So had his first conversation with her. He hoped no one assumed he was Hae Soo's husband. Standing beside her, he adjusted the lapels of his coat and matched pace with her.

"Are you enjoying your work?" Soo asked as they entered a shop that sold children's clothing. Racks of tiny clothing were attended by overpaid designers who bowed to Soo and welcomed her into the store.

So clasped his hands behind his back and watched Soo sift through frilly socks. "Yes, I find this line of work fulfilling." _I'm being paid buckets of money to literally live in your home and wait until I have to kill you. You pay me to follow you around. I'm being paid to do nothing by two parties. This is honestly a vacation._

He smirked when Soo smiled. "That's good to hear. I was afraid I'd bore you with my daily activities."

"I have no complaints, Madam." So reached for a small basket and held it as Soo chose socks. She thanked him before placing pink, yellow, and white socks into the basket. They walked through the store and Soo gave a wistful sigh when she looked at small hangers that held onesies and baby clothes.

"Oh, I remember when Yoon was that tiny," she murmured, touching a white onesie. The two tiny feet fit into her palm and she tilted her head to run a finger up the little frills on the ankles. "Mr. Wang, do you have children? You're the same age as my husband aren't you?"

Nodding, So followed Soo out of the girls' section. "I'm unattached and on the market," he stated. Soo chuckled at his comment.

So liked the sound of Hae Soo's laugh. It tinkled like bells and flew like butterflies from her lips. "I'd assume someone like yourself would have a significant other," she said, turning to face him. So raised his eyebrows at the younger woman.

"I guess she hasn't found me yet."

"Perhaps you haven't looked hard enough."

"I have been called a workaholic."

They smirked at each other and So held the basket as Soo walked to the boy's section in search of dinosaur socks. "How do two girls go through so many socks?" she asked aloud. "I can't believe it's been three days since their winter closets arrived and we've already lost four pairs."

"Maybe they're eating them," So heard himself mutter. He paused in his steps and Soo turned toward him before laughing. She ran a hand through her hair, ruffling the waves of silky black that ran down her neck. So found himself idly wondering how her hair might smell.

"Maybe they are."

After their little shopping adventure, So drove Soo to Mi's school where they waited in the car together. After passing through the guarded front gate, So had parked beneath a tree where they could see the front entrance of the exclusive school. "What did you do before this line of work?" Soo asked. "Before you came to our home."

Staring at her through the rear-view mirror, So sat back in his seat. "I fixed people's problems," he said. _It's technically not a lie._ "Worked freelance." _Also not a lie._ They met eyes through the mirror and So caught a glimpse of Hae Soo's elegant brown eyes before she quickly looked away.

Soon, So could see Mi walking out of the school with two other girls flanking her. They all wore matching uniforms: a blue blazer with a matching skirt and black shoes. So stepped out of the car and walked over to Soo's side, opening her door and placing his hand onto the sharp rim as Mi's mother glided out of the car.

There were other chauffeured parents by the school. Some had drivers while others toted shiny sport cars. So counted two celebrities and one politician aside from Soo.

As soon as Mi caught sight of So and Soo, she waved to her friends before heading towards her mother. Her braid bounced as she ran for Soo.

Soo opened her arms to greet her daughter, clasping the child close to her in a big hug. "Hi, baby. How was school?"

The two boarded the car as Mi began a lengthy tale of her day and So closed the door once the little girl's black Mary Janes were securely inside. "It was really really boring until Kim Ah Rong fell out of her seat because she fell asleep. I heard she was really tired because her dad's concert was last night and she was there with him."

"Was she?" Soo asked. "What was her father thinking, taking a seven-year-old to a concert at two in the morning."

So listened to the mother and daughter converse. Already familiar with the route back to the house, he paid more attention to the little conversation in the back rather than on figuring out which road to take.

* * *

That evening, he laid in bed and stared up at the white ceiling light with too many questions and not enough answers. Holding the back of his head with his hands, So idly blinked up at the bland ceiling and went over his thoughts.

 _Why did I take this job?_

The first question he asked himself was easy. _I was bored and wanted to see what politicians were like up close. The pay is good and I wanted a break from sawing people in half._

 _Is it worth it?_

He sighed. The money was good and the job much less rigorous than any of his other ones. He slept in a bed, ate three meals a day, and only sometimes had to follow orders. This was a vacation, but it was boring.

 _If you're so bored, why don't you just quit?_ _You're not the only hitman on the market. Your benefactors could find a replacement in a week… It's her isn't it? His wife. You're staying because you're attracted to a woman that's happily married._

At the sound of a knock on his door, So glanced at his bedside clock. Ten pm. "Yes?" he called toward the door.

"Mrs. Hae wishes to go on a night stroll." Chae Ryung's muffled voice came from the other side and So sighed, sitting up in bed. "She'll be at the front door in five minutes. You don't have to dress formally."

"Alright. Thank you for telling me," he called in response. As he stood, So waited for Chae Ryung to leave, but she remained. He heard no footsteps going away from his door, so he paused.

"And one more thing," she noted, "Mrs. Hae and Mr. Hwang Bo got into a fight, so don't speak to her. She just wants to be alone."

"Affirmative."

Rubbing his eyes, So pulled a sweatshirt and coat over his bare chest. He replaced his flannel pajama bottoms with jeans and managed to locate a pair of socks in a timely manner.

In the dark house, So stood by the front door, a pair of running shoes already on his feet as he waited for Hae Soo. Only Chae Ryung and a single maid were about the house. Judging by the lights on around closed doors, So assumed it was Wook who was in the piano room. He wondered what they had fought about.

Soo stepped out of the master bedroom and So bowed to her. He stood straight as she pulled a pair of sneakers onto her feet. Hae Soo wore a white hoodie and gray sweatpants. She wore no makeup and her hair was tied back into a short ponytail. So thought she looked even more beautiful than she had in her pink Chanel suit with makeup on.

Silently, he followed behind Hae Soo as she walked out of the house and into the freezing cold. The wind tossed his hair around but So kept his eyes on the woman that walked in front of him, her hands by her side and her head held high.

Instead of heading towards the gate, she took a route around the house and to the backyard. They walked in silence and So followed her through the howling wind as they made their way past the three cars. He wondered what she was thinking, walking through the freezing cold in the middle of the night. From what he could tell, she only wore one layer beneath her sweatshirt and So grew worried with each step.

They stopped in front of the three stone shrines at the back of the yard. In the dark of night, there was little light to illuminate the pale, stacked stones. So tilted his head in thought as Soo knelt before the stones and pressed her hands to her knees.

He wondered why there were three shrines when Soo only had two children. Had she stacked another for her husband? For her marriage? Had her mother stacked it for her? There were too many ways to ask about the third pile of stones.

Soo was the first to break the silence between them. So returned his attention to her when she spoke up. "I… I apologize for calling you out so late at night," she said, turning to face him. So raised an eyebrow at the woman as she pressed her hands together in prayer. "I realize that this might not have been the most courteous thing for me to do as an employer."

When he glanced at her, Hae Soo's lips were blue from the cold and her eyes were rimmed with red. She closed her eyes as she prayed to the stones. So did not think twice before removing his overcoat.

"Madam Hae," he murmured. Stepping forward, he draped the jacket over her shoulders and watched as her eyes flinched open. "Why are you doing this?"

Pale fingers clutched the coat closer to her body and So took to his knees in the direction of the wind, shielding Hae Soo as she shivered for the first time. "It's late, you should go inside," he said as gently as he could.

"You're not following orders," Soo muttered through chattering teeth.

"You're being stubborn and sitting in the freezing cold without a coat," So retorted. There was a glimmer of surprise in Hae Soo's eyes at his response. He grasped her icy hands in his warm ones, trying to transfer heat to her shivering skin.

They met eyes and this time, Hae Soo did not look away. So imagined she was too cold to think properly. He finally got a good look at the beautiful brown irises that had always glanced away from him, but this time he was too preoccupied to truly admire them. "Why are you doing this?" she asked. Her voice was a chime of bells hidden in between screams of the wind.

So frowned at the woman whose hands he held. She looked pitiful beneath the weight of his overcoat, strands of hair fluttering around her blue cheeks. _I'm attracted to you… and I hate seeing you like this. Cold and dependent. You belong in the sun with your children running around you, not sitting in front of a shrine with a man you don't know._

"Because I work for you," was all he said. The wind beat at his back and So felt his own skin prickle with goosebumps at the loss of a layer of clothing. He could see some color returning to Soo's cheeks.

"You didn't have to remove your coat for me, though," she muttered.

So frowned at her as he held onto her hands. "Mrs. Hae what is troubling you?" Soo's hands slipped from his as her cheeks suddenly flamed red and she turned away from him, breaking their eye contact. She stared at the ground before looking back to the three shrines.

So felt like a teenager.

In his mid-thirties there were few things that could actually excite him, but seeing Hae Soo blush and avoid him made his heart flutter. He wanted to hold her soft hands again. He wanted her to hold his hand back, to squeeze it like she might her husband's.

Instead, he knelt beside the woman with the wedding ring, and stayed with her, providing companionship.

"You signed all of the confidentiality agreements, didn't you?" Soo asked out of the blue. She held So's coat around her body with the collar raised to shield her neck. So nodded. He remembered signing all nine documents requiring his silence on any information divulged within and without the Hwang Bo household.

"I did," So replied. He knew that even without all of the legal barriers, he would have provided his listening services to Hae Soo. She had a nice voice, he decided. He enjoyed hearing her speak.

Soo sighed in response, her fingers pulling at the thick wool of the coat. "Then I'll take you up on your offer to be an ear."

So pressed his hands to his knees as a sign of submission. Kneeling before Hae Soo, he placed himself- a person four years her senior- equal to her position. There were spots of silence between their conversation and So dutifully remained silent, ready to listen when Soo chose to speak.

"I hate fighting with my husband," she exhaled sharply. So felt his eyebrows knit together and he nodded, mute. "I hate altercating with him and… we seem to be fighting so much these days. Everything feels like a reason to fight. His parents, my parents, Mi's grades, the stock market, his work, my work, his campaign promises." She listed various aspects of her life to So and he listened to each one. "I wish he would just listen to me and spend time with me. I never see him and when I do, we either don't talk or we fight."

If there was something So noticed, it was that Hae Soo was loyal to a fault. Her husband ignored her and yet she remained by his side. So wondered if it was Hwang Bo Wook's looks that made Hae Soo stay by him. Wook had the handsome face and calm voice of a politician, his friendly demeanor one that had drawn so many people to vote for him. Maybe Hae Soo had subscribed to that same image.

"I just… I feel lonely," she sighed. Soo looked over at So and he nodded, keeping his gaze on her. His body slowly grew numb from the cold, but he knew Hae Soo would be warm beneath his coat.

So exhaled white fog through his nose and glanced over at the woman beside him. She raised her eyebrows at him. "Madam Hae, your husband... does not know how lucky he is to have you," So stated truthfully.

Soo stared at him with wide eyes and in that moment, So thought he saw the glimmer of tears in them. "I'd like to return home," she whispered. Soo stood and So followed suit.

They looked at the towering house that loomed in the darkness, a beacon of bourgeois light amidst starry darkness. A light shone from the second storey and So could see Wook in Yoon's bedroom, holding the girl in his arms.

"Did he wake her?" he heard Soo hiss under her breath. "I swear, if he woke her…"

"Madam Hae." So knew his voice gave her time to pause. He did not speak except to look into the dark eyes that reflected the yellow light of the street lamps. There was no need to say anything.

Soo walked forward, already heading towards the back door of the house. So remained in his place, gazing up at the dimly lit window. Some misalignment of chance brought Wook's silhouette to Yoon's window and So watched the blue curtain shift. Looking up, he met eyes with Hwang Bo Wook, staring from the ground at the man that peered down at him with indifference. _Treat your wife properly, you fuck,_ he snapped internally.

Breaking their eye contact, So jogged forward and leaped over a tricycle parked in the middle of the lawn. He reached Hae Soo's position in an instant and opened the back door for her.

He watched as she removed his coat from her shoulders and accepted it from her outstretched hand. "Thank you," she murmured, looking at him.

Any anger So felt washed away and he nodded as he took the coat back from her. "I serve to please," he said with a smile.

Soo tilted her head at him before a soft smile graced her lips. Already, the warmth of the house had returned them to their natural pink. "You have a nice smile," she said. "I wonder if it's your job that prevents you from showing it often. Goodnight."

And with that, she walked away.

From his spot in the foyer, So could see Hae Soo until she entered her bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

He huffed quietly, chuckling to himself. "Goodnight," he whispered.

When he shook the coat out to preserve its shape, a whiff of rosy perfume floated towards him and So closed his eyes.


	6. Bath

**Hi everyone! I'm going to be taking a very important exam in two weeks, so I may not be able to post the next couple of chapters (depending on my schedule on level of focus). Thank you for understanding. I'll be back to normal Tuesday posting after this exam passes! :)**

* * *

 **Hae Soo**

It was unnerving how little she thought about her bodyguard. No- scratch that- it was unnerving how little she felt annoyed by him.

Soo peeked at Wang So through the mirror of her compact as she committed the social faux pas of adjusting one's makeup in public just to glance at him. Her middle school governess would have a fit if she saw Soo with a compact in her hand.

" _A lady does not adjust her makeup in public!"_ _Snap_. A lash on the palms with a thin, bamboo rod and a thirteen year old Soo would bite back indignant tears for the rest of the lesson. But for all she had learned through being hit on the palms, apparently it had not been enough. Soo kept her gaze on Wang So.

A black suit tailored to his slim build; a gray, dress-code breaking necktie; shiny black shoes. His hair was parted on his right and he sat two tables away, his right foot propped against his left knee. He sat with ease, his eyes scanning the room they were in with the same lazy gaze an alpha lion would scour the savannah. He was in complete control of himself and his surroundings.

Soo did not know when and she did not know how or why, but unlike any of her past tails, Wang So was not a hindrance to her daily activities. He followed her but she did not feel stalked. He was silent but she did not feel lonely.

Maybe it was because he was more handsome than her past guards. Soo did not pride herself on thinking her bodyguard was handsome. She was married, after all, but there was something appealing about his feline eyes and sharp jaw. He was tall- the same height as her husband- but less broad and more lean. Even still, Soo knew that there was muscle beneath his suit.

She snapped her compact shut.

She could still remember how he had taken his coat off for her; how he had held her numb hands in his until she could feel her fingers again… but why? Why was he kind to her? Why did he care so much?

In the past, whenever she had fought with Wook and gone to her little stone shrines, Soo had never had another bodyguard do the same things Wang So had. If it rained, one held an umbrella for her as she knelt. If it was sunny, he stood behind her. If it was cold, he held his hands against his mouth and breathed hot air onto his own knuckles.

But not Wang So. In the freezing wind, he had taken his own coat off and put it onto her shoulders. He had knelt beside her and taken her hands in his. He had managed to make her trust him enough to divulge parts of her married life to him.

The compact made its way into her handbag and Soo snatched her lipstick away from Yoon before the girl could color all over her face in muted pink. "She takes after you doesn't she?" Eun chuckled as he sipped his frappuccino through its green straw. The star glanced over his mirrored sunglasses to raise his eyebrows at Soo. "I remember you loved makeup in high school. I was surprised your father didn't have to drag you kicking and screaming to business school. I was so sure you were going to be a makeup artist, but you willingly went and got an MBA."

Soo gave her friend a dry look as he pulled Yoon onto his lap and bounced her, pretending to act surprised when the little girl showed him how to unlock Soo's phone. "You don't password protect your phone? You realize you're part of a huge organization, right?"

"Eun, you're an international star and you don't lock your phone with a code," she snapped back. "And I was always interested in business. Makeup was and is a hobby I still very much enjoy."

She chuckled at the sight of Eun with Yoon on his knee. Him in a blue button down and white pants, his belt a sparkling rope of golden glitter, and her in a gray jumper with tiny penguins stitched onto it. They both wore sparkly shoes. Soo thought her friend matched with her daughter quite well.

"Soo, tell me something," Eun stated, his voice taking a serious tone. He flicked an Angry Bird on Soo's phone at Yoon's behest before staring back at the mother once more. His voice dropped in volume and he leaned close enough that Soo could see the white eyeliner on his waterlines. "When are you going to fire your new bodyguard?"

Narrowing her eyes, Soo scoffed and looked away from her friend. She pretended to pull at the crease of her blouse. It matched Yoon's jumper. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Come on, Soo, we both know you hate it when Wook gets you a bodyguard," the star chided, his voice ringing with truth. "All those drinks and you were ready to tell me about all those guards you bribed to leave… the ones you found new jobs for before they 'quit'? Does Wook not know that you're the reason each one left?"

Soo eyed her best friend and snorted. "I don't know what you're talking about," she repeated with pursed lips. "Those guards quit of their own volition. I had nothing to do with their exit."

"Yeah and I wear gel inserts in my shoes because I have back problems and definitely don't need to make myself look taller," Eun said sarcastically. He snorted when Soo's eyebrow quirked up.

They smirked at each other. "Exactly." She nodded. Beside her, Yoon mumbled something in words only she seemed to understand, babbling to herself as she played games on Soo's phone.

"Well, this one isn't the prettiest of your bodyguards," Eun noted. Soo wondered if Wang So was listening. She hoped he would not take Eun's words to heart. Her friend spoke brashly at times. "I mean, Glasses and Undercut were both ripped but Ponytail had the face of an angel."

Soo cringed at her best friend before shaking her head. "Eun, I have no words," she said with a laugh. "How do you remember all of my bodyguards?"

"I only remember the ones that stand out," her friend retorted. He sipped his drink and nodded when Yoon held Soo's phone out to him. "This new one…" He pursed his lips, "He looks scary. Like you never know what he's about to do. Does he scare the kids?"

"Don't be rude, he's actually a good person," Soo retorted. "He's also the most overqualified out of all of them." _Why am I defending him?_ Soo thought. She cleared her throat and sat straighter.

Soo sneaked her cell phone from Yoon's hands as the little girl grew distracted with Eun's sparkling earrings. Thumbing a text to Chae Ryung, Soo asked her to pick Mi up from school. She listened as Yoon began chattering to Eun about dinosaurs, mispronouncing words and laughing when he corrected her. "Uncle Eun, I wanna be T-rex!" she exclaimed.

"If you're a T-rex then I'm a shark!" Eun declared, grinning down at the little girl. Yoon patted Eun's cheek with her little palm and nodded.

"We friends," she said solemnly. "Uncle Eun pretty shark."

"And Miss Yoon is a very scary T-Rex," Eun replied, kissing her cheek.

The little girl screamed when Eun tried to hug her, leaping from his lap. She ran around the table and Soo sighed at her feisty daughter. "Yoon, please sit in a chair," she said, watching the little girl dart around.

Yoon giggled and pressed her hands to her mouth before sprinting over to Wang So and hugging his leg.

Soo raised her eyebrows and So lowered his foot from his knee to smile down at the toddler. "Hello, Yoon," he said. Soo felt a shiver run down her spine at the baritone of his voice and she cleared her throat as Yoon grasped the leg of So's pants, singing a song.

Soo and Eun watched as So tipped his head from side to side and hummed along with the little girl, singing her nursery rhyme and tapping one foot to the rhythm. When the song ended, he calmly pulled Yoon from his leg and dusted her off before patting her on the head.

"Yoonie, Uncle Eun's going to get a cookie, wanna come and choose one with me?" Eun called. Soo gave Eun a thankful look as Yoon eagerly bobbed her head in agreement.

"Chocolate chocolate!" the girl sang as Eun picked her up. Eun's bodyguard trailed him as the two went to get more snacks.

Soo smiled at her bodyguard and watched as he tipped his head in a small bow. He was definitely handsome. Inexplicably handsome and good with children. Perhaps she would keep this bodyguard a bit longer.

When Eun returned with an armful of Yoon and an armful of sweet goodies, Soo sent her friend a glare before clicking her tongue at just how many snacks he had purchased. "You should never be allowed to babysit my children," she said. "Yoon could ask you for a car and you'd get her one."

"Don't be absurd, Soo," Eun muttered as he spooned pudding into his mouth. He tore a package of cookies open for the toddler in his lap. "I'd buy her two cars. One for me and one for her."

He laughed when Soo smacked his arm.

"You're ruining her appetite. She's not going to eat dinner and be hyper all day," Soo groaned. She shook her head at Eun as he shrugged.

Smiling, he deliberately handed Yoon another cookie. "I just have fun with my best tiny friend. You deal with the aftermath."

"Why are we still friends?"

"You can't stand your husband so you come hang out with me."

"Shut up."

The two picked at each other like they had in college and as they spoke, Soo watched as Yoon yawned and burrowed closer to Eun, rubbing her eyes. The tired girl's eyes closed and she sniffed before growing quiet. As quickly as she had grown hyper, after an hour of a sugar high, she was ready to take a nap.

Using her phone, Soo took a picture of her friend and daughter, capturing the image and smiling as Yoon fell asleep. She sent the image to Eun.

"How are things marriage-wise? Doing well?" Eun asked quietly. He rocked from side to side, holding Yoon close so she would not fall off his lap. The cookie in her hand was extricated before it was crushed within her chubby palm.

Soo pursed her lips before shrugging. "Meh, not bad, not good. Wook's been busy with the President these days so he's not around. I went to Mi's piano recital alone and had to explain why Wook had never been to any of her recitals."

Nodding, her friend patted her shoulder. "Marriage sounds like it sucks."

"I'm starting to think that it does," replied Soo. "We barely talk and when we do, it's either about the kids or about monotonous things like filing our taxes. But you know, we still love each other. There's just less communication."

Eun gave his friend a smile and hummed when Yoon drooled onto his shirt. "Maybe you should schedule a date with him. Just the two of you," he suggested. "Go out for dinner, have some wine, get a hotel room. You know, the works. If you don't want to leave the kids with Chae Ryung then I'll take them for the night."

Soo slowly nodded as Eun's idea sank in. Her mind whirred with schedules and timing, ticking through her daily activities and searching for a time when both she and Wook were free.

Unlocking her phone, Soo examined her calendar and exhaled through her nose. "Are you free next Friday?"

She quirked an eyebrow as Eun unlocked his phone and nodded. "Yeah, but only if you don't mind me taking the kids to a restaurant for the photo op." He beamed at her and Soo scoffed.

"You know I don't like it when we're in tabloids. I've spent quite a lot of money making sure my face and my children's faces aren't in the public eye. It doesn't help that we have to be present for Wook's political things, I don't want them to be in the spotlight."

Her friend only grinned as he shook his head. "I'm kidding," he chuckled. "I'll order in and turn on a movie or something. Maybe I'll steal some makeup from my stylist and play around with Mi."

The two parted ways after their weekly coffee chat and Soo carried her sleeping daughter as Wang So followed behind her. He held her handbag in his hand and hastened to open doors, walking beside her and making sure she never had to pause her stride. Soo was grateful that he was proactive in maintaining pace.

When they reached the car, Soo buckled Yoon into her car seat and sat back, phone in hand.

She pressed on Wook's image and held the phone to her ear. It was almost four, which meant Wook would be able to take her call.

Looking out the window, Soo sighed and listened to the dial tone until the voicemail message replaced it. _The number you have called is not available. Please leave a message after the tone._

"Hi, dear, it's me…" She began but paused. _I wanted to know how you are and what you're doing. We don't talk much do we? I want to be with you again. Don't you remember how close we were when we had Mi? Why can't we be like that again? I feel lonely without you._ Soo gathered her thoughts before shaking her head to clear them. "I just wanted to hear your voice and tell you that I had lunch with Eun and he suggested we have a date night of our own. Call me, please. I..." She hesitated for the first time since she had first said those words to Wook. "I love you."

She ended the call and stowed her phone back into her handbag.

"Mr. Wang," she said. Soo knew when the bodyguard glanced at her in the rearview mirror. "Please take us home quickly."

"Of course, Mrs. Hae." His voice was deep and warm- almost sympathetic. Soo decided she liked her bodyguard's gentle tone. She felt that she heard his voice more than she did her husband's.

* * *

After a dinner of grilled pork and seaweed soup, Soo sat on the floor of her office, leaning against her desk with her laptop against her knees. The soft carpet crushed beneath her legs and she looked over at her children as they either read or colored, listening to their idle chatter. There was something about reptiles, something about princesses, and something about princess dinosaurs.

While both girls wore pajamas, no one wanted to sleep. Soo knew she would have to call time soon. If Wook did not arrive home in ten minutes, she would put the girls to bed by herself. More and more, Soo found herself in the position of having to tell her children their father would be coming home late.

Soo ignored the stock returns and monthly quotas her father had e-mailed her in favor of watching her girls. Yoon drew in her coloring book, scribbling against dinosaurs and laughing when she colored outside of the lines. Beside her, Mi read a book, slowly turning the pages and occasionally scooting toward Soo to ask what a certain word was.

"When is Daddy coming home?" Mi asked, tiredly rubbing her eyes.

"Soon, baby. Daddy will be home soon."

Her phone buzzed and Soo rushed to look at her screen. A text arrived from Wook and she unlocked her phone to read it.

 _-Running late. Eat dinner w/o me.-_

Swearing under her breath, Soo closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to still her rage. How many times had she called and asked where he was for him to only respond with a text? Dinner without him? Did he even know what time it was?

"Alright, girls," Soo set her computer onto her desk and moved to stand off of the floor. "Time for bed. Daddy said he's going to be late."

Herding the girls out of her office, Soo shut the door and followed them to their bedrooms.

In ten minutes, both children were in bed, so Soo started with Yoon's room.

Sitting on the walled bed, she gently patted Yoon's chest and hummed. Minute by minute, she watched as her daughter's eyes once again drooped shut. Making sure Yoon was tucked into her blue sheets, Soo kissed the child's forehead and turned her bedside lamp on. Looking down at the little nose that matched hers and the lips that were Wook's, Soo sighed and nodded. "Daddy will be here to wake you in the morning… I hope," she murmured. Then, she crept out of the room, switching the light off and watching the glow-in-the-dark stickers on the walls illuminate.

Next was Mi's room and Soo stepped in to find Mi sitting up in bed, waiting for her. Smiling, she shut the door behind her and walked past her older daughter's little vanity- a small replica of Soo's. "You're not asleep yet," she noted, smiling at her daughter.

Soo sat down onto the bed and held the blankets as Mi snuggled close to her legs. The little girl put an arm around Soo's thigh. "Mommy are you sad that Daddy isn't home?"

Raising her eyebrows, Soo sucked her cheeks in before shaking her head. Her hair sifted against her chin at her movements. "Why would I be sad? I have Mi and Yoon to keep me company when Daddy is busy." She dragged her fingers through Mi's long hair, touching the silky strands that tangled oh so easily. "Mommy isn't sad, Mi. Mommy is always happy to be with you and Yoon."

Soo sat beside Mi and brushed the girl's hair, waiting for her to drift away from reality and into dreamland. She thought about her husband as she noticed how much Mi had grown. Soo remembered when her little girl had been a baby.

Newly married and moved into a house too big for a family of three, Soo and Wook made the best of what their lives had become. They had slept with Mi in a crib beside them because Soo had been unable to let the baby sleep alone. Wook came home as early as Soo's father allowed him to, always eager to be with her and Mi. Still in the budding stages of his political endeavors, he had worked hard to build himself and always came home with a smile, ready to play with Mi and greet Soo with flowers or a long kiss.

They used to be ideal. Some would say they were fake. Soo wondered where her husband was. She wondered if he remembered when they were close.

She left Mi's bedroom once the girl had fallen asleep. Quietly stepping downstairs, Soo asked for a bottle of wine- preferably red and from the nineties.

A pinot noir from 1994 was delivered to her office and Soo leaned against her desk as she sipped her wine, examining the bottle that came along with it. Something French, something fancy. The label on the bottle was frayed and yellow, the ink smudging into blurred declarations of Chateau something-or-other.

Swirling her wine, she watched as the red- almost black- alcohol glided down the bulbous basin of the glass. Each sip brought notes of plum and Soo felt herself grow warm. She discarded her cardigan and shut her computer down.

The house was quiet without her two dinosaurs running around and Soo held her glass in one hand while carrying the bottle with the other. Even the staff were quiet. Perhaps they noticed Soo's glum mood or perhaps they had better things to do than gossip about their employer's husband coming home late… yet again.

She refilled her glass.

Through the house and into her bedroom, she walked, ignoring the rest of her daily schedule.

Soo drew a bath for herself and undressed, tossing her clothes aside and ignoring where they fell. A blouse and pants went one way and blue lingerie was tossed another way. She tied her hair back and walked over cold tiles, pausing when she saw her naked body in the mirror.

Beneath fluorescent lights, she was paler than usual and Soo could see the signs of wear on her body that had not been present in her twenties. There were stretch marks on her thighs and stomach- proof of her pregnancies. Her breasts were no longer as perky as they once had been, but she saw no fault in her average B-cups. She exercised enough to maintain a somewhat flat plane of a stomach, but even still, Soo knew she was not in her twenties. She wondered if her husband found fault in her body.

She shook her head at herself. "Stop it," she chided her reflection. "You gave birth to the most beautiful babies. You carried them with your body and you fed them with your breasts. You're not ugly. Wook is late because… he's working. This isn't your fault. He's a politician, what can you expect? He's out there serving his… country."

Her voice was strong but inside, Soo felt weak. She looked into her own brown eyes and then saw herself look away. Her pep talk raised only her spirits by a hair.

Turning the white lights off, Soo switched the bathroom's settings to dim yellow lights.

She filled her glass once more.

She dipped a foot into the scalding hot water that steamed above the frothy bubbles that mounded and spilled over the edge of the tub. Soo winced when the hot water lapped at her ankles… her calves… her thighs. She resisted the urge to scratch the searing heat away from her skin and she lowered her entire body into the water.

Sighing, she sipped her wine and leaned her head back against the rim of the tub.

The hot water lulled her into a dreamy haze, the dim lights easing her stress, and the wine fogging her mind. She grew hot but not in the way she would have expected.

Soo took a long sip of wine before setting her glass down onto the tiled rim of the bathtub. The quiet clink of glass on stone was followed by the slosh of water as she dipped both hands beneath the surface.

She ran her hands down her body, gliding over wet skin with her palms. Closing her eyes, Soo pressed her hands to her breasts, touching herself and exhaling when her fingers toyed with her nipples, the buds hardening even beneath the warm water.

Jolts of electricity coursed over her skin as she felt herself. She imaged a mouth against her breasts, hot and wanton. A tongue that flicked against her nipples. She thought about two large hands grasping her breasts, kneading them, teasing them. Those same hands caressed her body and kissed her skin.

Her moan echoed over tile and throughout the foggy bathroom. Steam covered the room in a dim cloud of muted colors, echoing the image of a Turkish _bagnio_ Soo had seen long ago.

Her left hand remained against her breast and Soo lowered her right to where she ached and pined. Her fingers met the bundle of nerves where she imagined a different hand touching her. A middle and ring finger against her clit and she moaned, squeezing her breast as she rubbed herself.

Her sighs evolved and her hand moved. Away from her breast, her left reached below to meet her right. Her right continued to rub smooth circles against her apex and her left moved lower, inserting a finger into where she needed something to sate her. The first was followed by a second and Soo pressed against her hands, sighing in delight.

Each curl of her fingers brought forth a pleased whine from her lips and Soo imagined a deep voice calling her name. _"Cum for me, Soo,"_ he said. _"Cum for me."_

Her back arched as she let go. Moaning, Soo shivered beneath the hot water as her body coursed with released tension and her hands continued their ministrations until her chest rose and fell with small pants. The water sloshed, agitated as her legs shut against the hands between them.

Opening her eyes, Soo stared at the far wall and removed her hands from herself, tilting her head backwards until it bumped the rim of the tub.

She washed herself, avoiding her newly sensitive breasts.

She rinsed her hair and remembered how her locks had reached her elbows when she had first met Wook. Now, they stopped at her shoulders. Having small children made long hair a liability.

Soo stepped out of the tub and wrapped herself in a fluffy towel, her skin pink from the heat. The towel did its job of drying her body and a blow dryer finished her hair.

Snatching the empty wine glass from the tiles, Soo set it down onto her vanity and wiped her face with toner. She followed it with essence, ampoule, emulsion, and a night cream in the order she had been taught to complete her nightly facial routine.

Her body, once cooled enough, she rubbed down with lotion. The soft rose scent worked to make her tired mind even more lethargic.

Soo tossed her towel into the laundry hamper inside her closet while examining her options for sleepwear. There was a gown, sweatpants, silk, and lingerie. Nothing seemed to appeal to her.

Foregoing any layers, Soo sighed and turned the light off inside her closet. Around the bedroom and bathroom, she went about, extinguishing the light bulbs that impeded on her need for complete darkness.

Tiredly, she shuffled toward the large bed that beckoned to her. It was empty, but Soo did not mind once the cool sheets billowed down against her naked body, her cheek pressed against her pillow. Yawning, she switched her bedside lamp off and closed her eyes, peacefully falling into bliss.

Her final thoughts as she drifted to sleep were that the voice and hands she had imagined against her body, willing her to cum for him, had not belonged to her husband, but to another man.

* * *

She woke hours later when Wook's stubbled cheek pressed against her shoulder, his hand reaching for her breast and the smell of alcohol on his lips. Soo mumbled something under her breath, something along the lines of "where were you?"

"I'm sorry I woke you," he murmured, kissing her cheek. "Go back to sleep, dear."

Nodding, Soo turned to face her husband and curled against his clothed form, falling asleep almost at once. She was too tired to even wonder why he smelled almost cloyingly sweet- like perfume.


	7. Trust

**So... yeah, this chapter comes a bit earlier than usual because I'm not taking my laptop to Seoul. I was going to skip updating this week, but we have ground to cover and story to continue, so... yeah.**

* * *

 **Wang So**

If there was one thing So hated, it was annoying people. People who did not know when to shut up, people who used others for political gain, people who looked down on those they thought beneath them. They reminded him of those he encountered as a child growing up in rougher neighborhoods.

He wanted to duct tape Hwang Bo Wook's mother's mouth shut. She reminded him of his mother, except his mother only beat him- never nagged him about why Soo wasn't personally ironing Wook's shirts. As if he knew why a businesswoman did not have the time to iron her husband's shirts.

The older woman wore a fur coat and clutched onto a snakeskin handbag that So knew to be above the pay grade of a stamp maker's wife. No, those two articles were gifts from her much richer daughter-in-law. He wondered why Hae Soo even put up with her in-laws, let alone give them lavish gifts. He swore he even saw a Rolex on Wook's father's wrist.

Soo herself wore jeans and a fuzzy sweater with the collar of a button-down peeking out from her neckline. Another jacket was draped over her shoulders and leather gloves protected her hands. She seemed to be better at dressing herself in the daytime compared to night. At least now she was not turning blue from the cold.

So stood by as the family took a walk together after having lunch at a restaurant. He could tell how on edge Soo felt. He noticed her nervous tics included pressing a hand to her collar or her heart, and clasping her hands together before unclasping them.

She and Wook had scheduled a date night for the evening before, but Wook's schedule had suddenly fallen through, leaving a dejected Soo to lean against a wall and kick her heels off. She had pulled the pins from her own hair and used them to give both her girls French twists before leaving them in Chae Ryung's care and retreating to her room. He remembered passing by her door and listening to her call Kim Eun and apologize for the change of plans- the girls would not be sleeping over with him.

Morning came, and so did the in-laws. Even before they had left for the restaurant, So had been cornered by a woman who seemed to think she was above him. Wook's mother had asked to know his position in the household before demanding the answers to a bucketload of questions. So barely had time to reply that he was Soo's bodyguard before Mi had taken her grandmother's hand and led her toward one of her school projects. So never thought he would be thanking a seven-year-old for her prudence, but when the child turned back and smirked at him, he nodded to her in gratitude.

 _All in a day's work._

Popping the collar of his coat, So protected his neck from the wind and glanced around to search for any unwanted tails. He also made sure none of the main family were missing; he could not care less about Wook's parents.

Yoon darted past So's legs, running toward Wook and colliding face first into the backs of his knees. She almost tipped her father over, but Wook steadied himself in time and turned to pick his daughter up, carrying her and tickling her. He pulled her onto his shoulders and laughed when Yoon covered his eyes. "Daddy can't see!" she screeched.

"Yoon, your father needs to see," Wook's mother said to the girl. "Remove your hands from him."

"It's fine, Mother," Wook laughed. He placed a hand onto Hae Soo's shoulder. "My wife will lead me. Won't you Soo?"

So narrowed his eyes as Soo's shoulder tipped from the weight of Wook's hand. But no matter how heavy his arm was, how annoyed she was, or how much she seemed to want to shoot herself in that moment, So was amused when Soo smiled and nodded. "Of course I will," she replied. "Yoonie, you need to let Daddy see."

At her mother's words, Yoon removed the arms that blindfolded Wook. She laughed at her own antics before waving down to her sister. "Mi! I tall! Tall like a gimaffe!"

"Giraffe, Hwang Bo Yoon, not gimaffe," sniffed the girl's grandmother. The woman pulled her coat tighter over her shoulders. "Soo, what are you teaching the girl if she can't even speak properly?"

So frowned but remained silent. His respect for Hae Soo rose tenfold when the younger woman merely smiled at her mother-in-law. "I'm sure Yoon doesn't have to know how to pronounce 'giraffe' if she becomes a dinosaur. Isn't that right, baby?"

"I'm a T-rex!"

Wook laughed and Mi giggled at Yoon's declaration. Soo high-fived her youngest and So felt himself smirk at her comeback.

The family continued to walk, only pausing when a passing person asked Wook for a picture or proudly declared that they had voted for him. Soo stood by with the children and smiled as Wook interacted with his constituents. So wondered if he imagined Soo's look of annoyance when yet another person asked for a photo with Wook. But to her credit, she smiled through it all, even offering to take pictures for one group.

The walk was mercifully cut short after Yoon declared she had to 'go potty' and Mi complained about her aching feet every two hundred yards. So almost laughed at Soo's proud smile when her children's complaints promptly ended the stroll.

She took both girls while Wook escorted his parents to his car. Soo waved to her husband and So nodded to Wook's bodyguard as they walked away. Wook's disgruntled parents were none too pleased that the walk had ended, but they went along with their son anyways.

"Mr. Wang," Soo said, once her husband and his parents were out of earshot. "Don't take us home. I think we all deserve some ice cream."

They first stopped by a bathroom and So stood outside with Mi who happily skipped around. He watched the little girl's hair fly as she twirled and marvelled at her skirt as it fluttered about her. "Mi, stay close," So called to her.

"I'm not scared!" the girl giggled, stopping to wave at him. "I have you, Mr. So!"

So blinked in surprise at the girl's familiarity with him but otherwise remained silent, watching as her red skirt spread out around her white stockings. Her black slippers shone with each flouncing movement.

"Do your feet not hurt?" he asked the girl. She seemed too happy and danced around too much for a child that had just spent the greater part of ten minutes complaining about her pinchy shoes.

Mi paused from spinning to readjust her headband. Pulling the red band from her hair, she placed it back into its rightful spot and returned to So's side. So glanced down when she reached up and tugged on his hand, motioning for him to come down. Her gloved hand grasped his pinkie and gave it a gentle pull.

Looking down at Mi, So obliged and knelt until he was face to face with the girl that so resembled Hae Soo. "You can't tell Mommy, okay?" she asked solemnly. Her wide eyes implored him and So cleared his throat as he found himself falling to the whims of a seven-year-old.

"I won't tell your mother," he promised.

"Pinkie promise." Mi held her hand out before pausing and staring at her mitten. So knew she saw the problem in her statement.

"How about a handshake?" he suggested. He shook Mi's little fist, taking her gloved hand and giving it a firm grasp.

Mi seemed satisfied with their agreement and So remained still as she leaned closer to him until her mouth was by his ear. So held his breath to prevent from sneezing as her fur poncho tickled his nose.

Mi quickly glanced around before whispering, "Don't tell Mommy, but my feet didn't actually hurt. I just know Mommy doesn't really like Grandma, so I pretended they hurt so Grandma would go home early." She leaned back with a toothy smile and So blinked at her in surprise. With raised eyebrows, he watched as the girl scampered away and continued to twirl, wondrously laughing at how pretty her skirt looked in the wind.

Hae Soo stepped out of the restrooms, holding Yoon's hand and So walked to her side. "Mi!" Soo called, beckoning for her daughter to come. "Come on! Let's get ice cream!"

Bewildered, So watched as Mi nodded and ran to her mother's side. Hae Soo held both of her children's hands and So followed behind them, watching as Mi bounced up and down, singing, "Ice cream! Ice cream!"

He drove them to a small ice cream parlour and sat at one of the tables, watching as the three chose flavors and toppings. Soo held Yoon up to look at the glass display while Mi pointed to the ones she wanted.

The interior of the parlour was white and lit with vintage, yellow bulbs, featuring retro neon signs and workers in bright pink t-shirts.

Each girl got a scoop of their preferred flavor and So gazed around the perimeter to make sure there were no threats. So sat still as a little boy toddled over to Yoon and waved at her before running back to his mother and hiding behind her skirt.

"How cute," he heard someone say. So looked up and saw Hae Soo sitting down at the table he sat at, setting a pink cup of ice cream before him. "I didn't know what you liked, so I got you vanilla with dark chocolate chips and a rum cherry."

Surprised, So blinked and looked down at the pretty little cup. It hosted one scoop of vanilla bean with chocolate and a black cherry that dribbled liqueur. "Ah, thank you," he said, picking the cup up and examining the tiny pink spoon that came with it.

"It's what I usually get anyways," Soo replied, showing him her matching cup. She gave him a little smile and So nodded and took a nibble of ice cream, making sure both children under his jurisdiction were still within the shop. A warm flutter filled his stomach and he cleared his throat to bring himself back to reality. _She's married,_ he chided himself. _You can't sleep with a married woman._

The sweet taste of cold milk filled his mouth, matched with the bitterness of dark chocolate and the taste of the alcohol that dripped down the cherry. Soo had chosen well.

"You said you fixed people problems, didn't you?" So turned when he heard her speak. Removing his spoon from his mouth, he nodded, mute.

"Yes, I did say that," he replied. So stabbed his spoon back into his ice cream and met eyes with Soo, staring into the wide, doe-like eyes that glinted in the yellow lights.

"Can you make my mother-in-law go away?" she asked playfully.

 _For the right price, I can_. So thought. "Unfortunately, I don't think that I can," he said with a small shrug. _Not exactly a lie._

"Too bad," Soo said with a laugh. Her smile was contagious and So found himself grinning. He spooned more ice cream into his mouth as Soo sighed. "I don't want to go home," she muttered, her eyes turning to watch her children as they sat at one of the colorful kiddie tables. Mi pointed something out to Yoon before quickly stealing a bite of her distracted sister's strawberry ice cream.

"Would you like me to take you to your parents' home?" So asked, his voice taking a gentler tone than he would have expected of himself.

Soo shook her head. "We can't always run from our demons, can we?" She scooped her dessert into her mouth and So tilted his head when he noticed a smudge on her bottom lip. A small dash of white ice cream and cherry liqueur hid just under her lipstick.

Looking back on that moment, So knew he could have done many things- handed her a napkin, for example. Instead, he reached forward and, using the pad of his thumb, wiped the ice cream off of Hae Soo's smooth skin.

She blushed red and So coughed before looking away. He wondered if the heat he felt on his face meant he was blushing as well. So lowered his gaze before mentally berating himself. _Stupid, she's married. You won't get anywhere with her!_

"I- I apologize for my actions," he muttered, still unable to look at Soo.

"It's fine, um- really, I- I wasn't expecting-" Soo stumbled over her response and So wondered if she had liked his actions or was mortified by them. "It's fine," she uttered.

In that moment, they sat awkwardly until So looked up and saw Soo walking towards her children, her ice cream in one hand and the other pressed against her mouth. He did not know if she was blushing or wanted to throw up.

So's eyes narrowed at the droplet of ice cream on his thumb that mocked him. A smudge of cream on his finger that called him a coward. He raised it to his lips and licked it off. It tasted divine.

So finished his cup of ice cream and tossed the empty container into the trash can. It was only later in the car that he remembered he hated sweets. He wondered what had compelled him to eat an entire scoop of ice cream. Perhaps it had been the person that had offered it.

Driving back to the house, So tapped his thumb against his chin and switched lanes, taking the safest routes. His eyes shifted to the rear-view mirror and So glimpsed Soo sitting between Mi and Yoon. She stared out the window, her fingers gently perched against her chin.

When they returned to the house, So looked in the backseat and raised his eyebrows at the two children that slept in their car seats. "I can only carry one," Soo whispered as he parked. Already, she held Yoon in her lap, rocking the sleeping toddler and collecting her handbag. "Could you take Mi?"

So stepped out of the car and moved to Mi's door, opening it. He unbuckled her from her booster seat and gently put his hands beneath her arms, pulling her dead weight from the car and holding her against his chest. Using his forearm to support her bottom, So lowered her skirt and hoisted her higher. He froze when Mi wriggled against him before going still. She yawned and continued to breathe steadily.

So wondered if this was what fatherhood felt like; carrying your sleeping daughter from the car after confiding in secrets with her. _Don't tell Mommy_. He ran over Mi's words in his mind as he walked.

Holding the little girl in his arms, So shielded her from the wind before jogging to the house's back door and opening it. A blast of warm air hit his face and So followed Soo inside, removing his shoes and nodding to the maid that greeted them by the door.

"Bring her upstairs," Soo quietly said. The house seemed desolate and So wondered if Wook was even home. It was obvious from the silence that his parents were not.

So followed Soo up the stairs and, for the first time since he had toured the Hwang Bo house with Chae Ryung, walked into Hwang Bo Mi's bedroom.

Tossing stuffed animals away from the princess bed, So pulled at the pink duvet and threw pillows around until the bed looked ready to sleep in. He reached to pull Mi's ballet flats off of her feet, dropping them onto the ground and listening to the little thumps they left on the floor. So paused and wondered how he would get Mi from his body to her bed without waking her.

He remembered once carrying a woman's corpse in the way he currently held the little girl. However, that woman had been dead and Mi was very much alive and breathing. Sighing, So decided he needed to stop comparing his past jobs to this one. Hwang Bo Mi was just a child. It was wrong of him to even think of a dead woman when he was carrying her.

Pressing his hand to the back of her neck, So gently lowered Mi onto her bed and pulled the pink comforter up to her shoulders. He looked down at the little girl as she slept peacefully, her long eyelashes fluttering.

"You're good at this." So looked up and saw Hae Soo in the doorway. She crossed her arms and gave him a peculiar smile.

So thanked her. "I used to care for my brother when I was younger," he explained. So had little memory of his baby brother except that the child had been put into foster care and put up for adoption by his mother. After becoming an adult, So had tried to track his brother down, but the paper trail was sparse and few people had actually remembered the little boy that had been adopted. He had given up after his twenty-second birthday, praying that the little boy was safe. They had been so poor that his mother had not even bothered naming the baby. So remembered his baby brother as "Child".

He looked at Soo as she smiled. "You're very good with small children," she noted.

"Thank you," So replied, allowing himself a smile. He assumed Hae Soo was not too miffed by his wiping ice cream off of her face.

He stepped out of Mi's bedroom and walked down the stairs with her. "Mrs. Hae, if I may, do you have siblings?" he asked. So had no idea where his question came from, but he asked it anyways.

The younger woman smiled and nodded up at him. Her hand reached for the guardrail as she walked. "I have an older brother," she replied. "Hae Baek Ah. He's a year older than me."

Nodding, So reached the end of the stairwell and prepared to leave for the servant's quarters, but Hae Soo stopped him, holding an arm out to block his path. "Mr. Wang, I just told you about myself," she stated, playfully smirking at him. "I think it's only fair that you tell me something about yourself as well! Tell me about your siblings. Are they as annoying as mine?"

So paused.

 _My older brother is your husband's political rival. I haven't spoken to him since I was in high school after he ran away from home to work and send himself to college. My younger brother I haven't seen since I was a teenager. I don't even remember how old I was when he was born._

Staring into the wide brown eyes that smiled at him, So could not bring himself to lie. It was one thing to lie to Hwang Bo Wook or to Chae Ryung about his past, but So refused to distort whatever image Soo might have of him. It was a serious risk for a hitman to reveal anything about himself to his victim before he took their life, but So had already used his real name and age for this job. What was another minute detail worth anyways?

"I haven't spoken to either of my brothers since I was fifteen," So said. His heart panged with an old, forgotten longing, but he swallowed those aged feelings; they were no longer relevant. "I have an older brother who I see occasionally on the news. We don't speak to each other and my younger brother…" he trailed off with a shrug and watched Soo's smile fade.

Sympathy. Her once bright eyes now showed sympathy and sadness. So wished she would smile again.

"I'm so sorry," she stated. Her hand met his arm and So looked at her as she stared up at him with those wide eyes. It felt like she was peering into his soul, but So did not feel violated- he felt sad. "It was rude of me to pry- I'm-"

"A deal is a deal, isn't it?" he said gently. He offered her a reassuring smile. "It's alright, Mrs. Hae, I don't mind. I haven't seen or spoken to them in two decades."

So wondered how Soo would have reacted had Yoon not started crying from upstairs, calling for her mommy. Soo looked away, her gaze pivoting in the direction of the noise

"I'm so sorry," she repeated herself before taking her hand away from So's arm and rushing back up the stairs.

So touched the place where her hand had been, imagining a handprint where her skin had touched his jacket. He found himself missing her touch... The touch of a married woman against a hitman's arm. So knew that he would either complete this mission with dire mental consequences or he would be unable to due to how immersed he had become into the Hwang Bo household. Either way, he was already in too deep.

For a moment, he decided that it might not be the worst thing to quietly fold his career as a hitman and just continue working for Hae Soo. So found that just by being near her, he felt happy and needed. He was Mi's secret keeper and the person Soo spoke to when she was lonely. He felt wanted- and not just because he could easily get rid of people's problems, but because the Hwang Bo girls and Hae Soo trusted him.

Trust. So hoped he had Soo's because he already knew that she had his.

* * *

 **Thank you everyone for all the good vibes. My exam is on Saturday, so when I update next Tuesday, I'll have already taken my first SAT and will be even more dead inside. Hopefully that won't make me too cynical and murder everyone in the story. But hey, who knows? :)**


	8. Hwatu

**I take DMs on Instagram ( pixelbutterfly) and Tumblr ( supernovaesthetic) if you want to ask more in-depth questions. I realize I may be jumping around a lot of asks to avoid spoilers, but if you want to discuss the story so far, I'm always open :)**

* * *

 **Hae Soo**

The sun shone over trees with wilted leaves and pines that grew strong in the coldest winds, glittering over the little pond in front of her home. No snow had fallen yet, but the sky seemed primed to release flurries soon.

Soo held the arm of a man taller than Wang So or her husband. She shook her head at him as he pulled giant pink bags from the trunk of his car. "For the princess and the dinosaur," he declared, grinning down at her.

Hae Baek Ah wore a designer suit with a scarf wrapped around his long throat. His hair was cut into a sleek, business-casual quiff and a pair of sunglasses were perched on his nose.

Soo walked her older brother toward her front door, chiding him for spoiling her daughters. "Every month it's a princess castle or more dolls or coats- stop spoiling them!" Her brother only laughed at her.

"Did Kim Eun tell you to say that so he'd be the better uncle? I heard he offered to buy Yoon a car," Baek Ah said. He and Soo neared the house and Wang So stepped past them to unlock the door and hold it open. "If Eun buys Yoon a car, I'm buying Mi a plane."

"You don't have enough money to do that."

"If I sell my stocks I will."

"Dad would murder you if you did."

On their itineraries, this strange instance of Baek Ah visiting her home was listed as a casual lunch. He brought gifts for her girls, gave her a bouquet of flowers, and kissed her cheek when he saw her. "How long has it been since we last had lunch? Two months?" Baek Ah asked as he kicked his Oxfords off and removed his sunglasses.

Soo slipped her house slippers on and shook her head. "We've been busy these days," she sighed, rubbing the back of her neck.

Chae Ryung appeared to quietly take the gifts from Baek Ah's hands as he peered around the house. Soo knew he was looking at the new Degas that had not been in the foyer the last time he had been at her house. "Where are my nieces?" he asked, putting his feet through the slippers Chae Ryung set before him.

Soo followed her brother to the new painting and stood by as he examined it. "They're at school and daycare," she said. "Brother, take your coat off."

"Hm… look at the brushstrokes. Stunning, really."

The two had lunch in the dining room, chatting about family as they had black rice and bulgogi. A plethora of colorful side dishes sat around their bowls and silver chopsticks shone over the dark table. Soo noticed the staff going about their daily activities- namely the way Wang So walked between the lounge and back door to continuously monitor the security building- but she kept her attention on her brother as they ate. "Mom almost had a stroke when she found out I got another tattoo," Baek Ah said with a sly smirk. Soo scoffed.

"You got another one?" Setting her spoon down onto the table, she frowned at her brother, trying to look through his white shirt for any sign of ink.

Artistically repressed in his youth, Baek Ah had begged their father to allow him to go to an art college. He had wanted to be a painter, but their father had refused, sending him to business school instead. Soo knew he still rebelled through his body, painting it with his works and inking his emotions onto his skin.

After his fiance had committed suicide a week before their wedding, Baek Ah had tattooed their wedding vows onto his side. Soo had been by his side as he lamented the loss of his love, sitting with him as an artist printed words of adoration and promise against his muscles.

Her children loved their uncle's tattoos. If he took them to the pool or the beach, they always took time to examine the intricate drawings that covered his back and chest, tracing them with their little fingers and giggling when Baek Ah said the crane on his back flew away at night to bring him good dreams and thoughts of his two nieces.

"Yeah, two peonies beside the crane- one flower for each of my nieces." Soo's eyes followed Baek Ah's hand as he pointed to the area around his left shoulder blade. "You know, there's just enough space for one or two more flowers," he said with a raised eyebrow.

Shaking her head, Soo gave a huff and leaned back against her seat. She felt the ruffles of her blouse crumple against the wood and dig into her back. "I don't know if Wook and I are going to have more kids," she said truthfully. "I want more, but it's so painful giving birth… plus I don't think he wants any more kids- he's been adamant that I stay on birth control."

Soo knew her brother wanted her to have more children because he himself would not marry or even consider having his own. Baek Ah held a hand up and Soo watched him run it through his hair. "If you don't want to be on birth control, then don't take your pills and use a condom." Baek Ah frowned at her, the planes of his face creasing. "Why does he have a say over your body?"

"He just wants to be careful." She defended her husband even though she felt the same way as her brother. Soo wanted a baby, but her husband seemed not to. "Wook is busy and I'm busy. If we added another kid to the mix, we'd…" _We probably might come closer together._ "I think we're good as we are."

"Right, but I want an entire army of Hae kids to follow me like ducklings. I'll be the mama duck and they'll be my little army. At least a baseball team's worth of my little sister's kiddies."

Soo laughed at her brother's antics. "You sound like Eun when you talk like that," she said, eating a piece of kimchi. "Oh imagine how much Mi will hate you when she finds out you're the reason she has to go to piano lessons every day."

Baek Ah waved his hand as if to blow the idea away. "She'll thank me when she's older," he decided. "Piano is great stimulus for the mind and increases mental capacity as well as hand-eye coordination. She's only gaining from this. Plus I buy her enough goodies to make her forget that her misery stems from me."

After lunch, they took tea in the living room and Baek Ah leaned back in his seat as he looked at a picture of Wook holding a newborn Yoon in his arms. Soo sat across from her brother as a maid set the table with small pastries and green tea. Baek Ah's thumb traced the lines of Yoon's scrunched face.

"She saved your marriage, didn't she?" he asked. Baek Ah crossed his long legs and rested his arm against the sofa, gazing at his youngest niece. "Baby dinosaur," he murmured.

Soo reached for the water pot and poured clear water into their cups, warming the jade ceramic. The liquid rippled and Soo nodded. "She brought Wook back to me," she said.

"He never should have left in the first place," snapped Baek Ah. He gently set the frame down and reached for his cup, tipping the hot water back into the water jar. Then, setting his cup down, he did the same for Soo's. Baek Ah's hand grasped the handle of the teapot and he poured them both tea. "Dad's angry, Soo," he sighed, sitting back. "You know why I'm here."

"The tax, I know," she replied quietly. Soo picked her glass up and blew steam away from its cusp, inhaling the soft scent that wafted towards her.

"You know I don't want to be the bearer of bad news." Soo glanced at her brother as he sipped his tea. They both sat impeccably, remembering the lessons they had received from their governess. Soo knew Baek Ah had been a better student than she. "But Dad says you need to get your husband on a leash. That tax on imports was a no-brainer. Why didn't it pass?" There was no contempt in Baek Ah's voice, but Soo noticed that he looked worried.

Shaking her head, she drank her tea. The hot water washed over her tongue, gently lacing the bitter and mellow flavors of tea within her mouth. "Brother, we don't talk about business anymore. Wook and I are…" She looked at him as he sat back.

"He's drifting, isn't he?" he asked. Baek Ah's expression hardened and his mouth pressed into a thin line. "Well, I wouldn't expect anything more from him."

"He's stressed because of work and with Dad breathing down his neck- you know how it is," Soo protested. She would defend her husband. Soo knew that Baek Ah had dealt with their father's business-related micromanaging for years, but she also knew that he harbored a dislike for her husband.

Her brother's eyebrows knitted together. "Right, but I didn't marry into our family. Wook married you, and Dad gave him power." Soo knew how Baek Ah jumped around his words in order to keep the staff from hearing. She also knew the true meaning of his statement and the very thought of it hurt her.

"He still goes golfing with the president." Soo shifted the conversation back to business as she placed her teacup back onto its saucer. The two pieces clinked together. "They seem as close as ever, but I don't know if Wook just didn't try hard enough to get the tax passed or the president shut him down. Either way, he didn't discuss it with me."

Baek Ah nodded. Soo watched her brother's shoulders rise and fall with a heaved sigh. There was a bout of silence. _Dad won't be happy about my response,_ she thought.

"How are you these days?" Baek Ah finally asked. "I see you've gotten a new bodyguard. Wonder how long until this one quits?" He gave her a knowing look but Soo brushed it off.

"I've been holding up," she replied. "Wook and I are going through a rough patch, but I know we'll overcome it. We always have in the past. As for my new bodyguard, I find that he's a trustworthy man and that I am able to put my children in his care without worrying."

Baek Ah squinted at her, a peculiar expression on his face. "Really?" he asked, surprised. He scoffed and shook his head. "Hae Soo, you've changed. I distinctly remember you declaring that you'd protect your children and that you'd never rely on any bodyguard."

"I _don't_ rely on him," Soo lied. She thought about Wang So's impact on her schedule and how, over the course of two months, she had grown to trust him as much as- or perhaps even more than- Chae Ryung. How he had managed to gain her trust was a strange question, but Soo assumed it was because he was a good listener. She would not fire her new bodyguard. Not when he was such a positive impact on the family.

They continued their business talks and Soo had a maid bring her tablet from her office. She drew up revenue charts and discussed the Foundation's monthly allotment of money from the main branch of the Hae Group.

"We gave Wook enough money to get a majority of lobbyists to shut up," Baek Ah sighed as he scanned over expense reports. "And the protesters are letting up now that we're implementing new-"

"Uncle!"

Soo and Baek Ah looked up from the diagrams on their tablets as Yoon ran toward them, still wearing her shoes. Wang So scrambled for the girl and caught her by the waist before she could reach the sitting room. Soo cringed when her excited daughter kicked the bodyguard in the chest as he removed her shoes. "Uncle! Uncle!" Yoon sang.

When So released her, Yoon sprinted for Baek Ah and was immediately wrapped up in his arms. "Baby dinosaur!" Baek Ah called, hugging the child. Soo looked over at Wang So as he handed two tiny shoes to a maid.

They met eyes and Soo gave him an apologetic smile. In return, he seemed to hide a chuckle behind an amiable nod. When Soo turned her gaze back to her daughter and brother, she saw Yoon tearing into the gift Baek Ah had gotten for her, removing a stuffed Tyrannosaurus and three dinosaur coloring books.

"Why three?" Soo asked, rubbing her forehead. "She already has enough coloring books."

"Hush, Soo, I told you I'm going to out-spoil Kim Eun."

"While you're at it, you might as well try and beat Dad."

"Oh Sister, you're naive if you think I'll ever be able to out-spoil our father. If I'm not mistaken, he's already set a lump sum aside for both girls to go to college and has even chosen what he'll wear to Mi's inauguration as chairwoman of the Hae Group."

Soo rolled her eyes at her brother's comment as Yoon babbled her nonsense to Baek Ah who nodded and listened intently, agreeing intermittently and inserting his own nonsense.

"T-rex big, and- and- it roar!" Yoon curled her hands as she growled at her uncle. She continued on an incoherent tangent, looking at Baek Ah with a solemn expression and explaining parts of her new toy.

Soo watched Baek Ah scoop her daughter off of the ground and sit her down onto his lap. "Do tell," he declared, fully invested in Yoon's tirade.

When Baek Ah carried Yoon to the piano room, Soo followed. She smiled as her brother opened the grand piano and sat at the bench, watching Yoon poke out Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. "Marvellous," Baek Ah declared, flexing his spindly fingers over the ivory keys. "Soo, she'll be a prodigy." The younger sister only shook her head as the sweet sound of Debussy filled the quiet house.

* * *

 **Wang So**

 _$8,000 received._

 _$8,000 received._

 _Total Balance: $16,000_

So stared at his laptop screen. The empty bank account he had created for this job was steadily filling even though the only contact he had received from his employers was a quick e-mail from a dummy account.

 _Elimination not required this month. Stay tuned._

He cared little for the names of those that employed him as long as they paid. So tried not to be biased in his jobs.

Staring at the bright screen, So sighed and flopped back against his seat. He had not touched any of the money in that account because it felt dirty to do so. So had never had any trouble spending his income earned from killing people, but this time, he sat at his desk and stared at his laptop. It felt wrong to even look at the rewards he received to slither into Hae Soo's house and wait until it was time to strike.

At the sound of a knock on his door, So slammed his laptop shut. "Yeah?" he called.

"We're going to play Hwatu, want to join?" asked Wook's bodyguard, his voice muffled. So cleared his throat.

"Yes, I'll be out in a minute."

He listened to the footsteps that led away from his room.

Reopening his laptop, So logged out of his bank account and disabled the proxy he had used to access the link. The Wolf Dog was no longer in Australia.

Opening one of the drawers attached to his desk, he removed a heavy plastic bag and stared at the silver coins that glinted inside it. "You've been gambling too much these days," he muttered to himself. He wondered if he meant it in the literal sense or how close he had gotten to the Hae-Hwang Bo family.

* * *

Undoing his necktie, So sat down on the floor of the living space and grinned, tossing his bag of coins. It collided with the ground with a dull thunk and So crossed his legs, rolling his sleeves up. "Alright, let's see how well you all can win your money back, yeah?"

Chae Ryung, Wook's bodyguard, So, and one of the maids sat in a circle with a folded comforter between them. A deck of Hwatu cards was shuffled and distributed while four beers were cracked and a bag of chips popped. There were strips of grilled squid courtesy of the cook, and another pack of beers sat by, waiting to be opened.

So had quickly found out that on Sunday evenings, after the main family was in bed, a game of Go-Stop was initiated with drinks, banter, and amiable gambling. Quickly integrating himself into the matches, So had realized that the staff was like a small family within itself. Coworkers mingled together and talked about their spouses, the main family, their dreams, and perhaps plans to marry their significant others. So felt guarded around his coworkers. He had little to tell them and little to gain from listening to their stories, but his affection for the card game brought him to sit with them each weekend. Though he had closed himself off to them, So knew that the others had already accepted him into their fray- that he was one of them. _Oh if only they knew_ , he thought bitterly.

Sitting in the servants' quarters and playing Hwatu brought back memories of the men his mother would bring into the house to play, gamble with, and eventually fuck while her children were locked inside the single bathroom of their ratty apartment. However, those memories were overshadowed by the immense amount of wasteful gambling So had dealt in after his first kill.

Ten thousand US dollars had streamed into a bank account with only three hundred won inside it after So had killed a cheating husband outside a casino. He had gotten cocky- as twenty-five year olds were prone to do- and had tried to double or even triple his earnings at the Blackjack table. Is skill at Korean card games seemed not to translate to Western ones.

He had left Las Vegas with only enough money for a flight back to Korea and no means of paying off the debt he had racked up during his college years. So he had done the only thing he could do in a jobless market: he enlisted his services as a hitman to the gang that ruled his neighborhood. He remembered being accepted into the ranks with ease, and generally left alone except when people needed to be taken care of. By twenty-nine, So had paid off his debts, his parents' debts, and he had left the gang with no intention of ever returning.

The place he currently sat in, however, was not the smoky lounge of a stripper bar where he slapped down plastic cards and collected his prize of having a threesome with two nameless, faceless girls that belonged to the gang he worked with. This was a bright lounge with immaculate sofas that did not smell like cigarette ash and cum.

So sat with people who had never had dealings with gangs or murderers. The men he worked with did not have perfect aiming records from the military and the women were never indebted enough to be forced to sell themselves.

He preferred being around them. They were normal- clean.

Having lost the final round the past week, So played dealer, slipping the tiny red cards to each of the players. He gave himself seven cards before setting the deck down. He picked up his hand and clicked his nails against the cards before glancing at them.

"So," So began, slapping a card down and collecting three. He tallied his points as Wook's bodyguard sighed and snapped a card onto the mat. He collected two. "Why does Mrs. Hae hate her in-laws so much?" he asked, looking around the group. So knew his question was obvious, but he wanted to know if there was anything else to Hae Soo's avoidance.

"You've seen what Wook's mother is like. Wouldn't you hate her?" Wook's guard asked. Chae Ryung took one card and passed her turn, sighing as she tallied her points.

Picking his beer up, So paused as he took a sip. "I just thought there were other underlying factors. She seems too tense around someone who's been visiting for the past seven years." He tipped the can back and let the ice cold drink wash over his mouth.

The first round ended all too quickly and So collected one thousand won in coins. "Thank you, thank you," he said, smirking.

Chae Ryung was the next dealer. She spoke as she shuffled the deck. "She hates her mother-in-law because the woman's- if you'll excuse my language- a right bitch." So raised an eyebrow at the prim young woman who flipped the deck all too easily. He could tell Chae Ryung either came from a poorer background or had too much experience in shuffling Hwatu cards.

"Soo had a… a heartbreaking incident a couple years after having Mi and before Yoon was born," she continued. "She was devastated and Wook wasn't much help to her emotionally. His mother was even worse and completely saddled the blame onto Soo. Broke her so much- I think Soo was close to signing divorce papers just because she was so emotionally exhausted. I remember her old bodyguard telling me she would cry in the car almost every day, the poor thing." Chae Ryung held the deck out to So and he pursed his lips before tapping his index finger against the stack.

" _Tuk_ ," he said. Chae Ryung nodded and distributed cards.

"Imagine how emotionally wrecked you have to be to leave your husband behind, take your child, and live with your older brother for a month?" Chae Ryung sighed with a pitying shake of her head. "And of course, Wook's mother came every weekend just to see if Soo had returned. Whenever she came, she would rant about how Wook should never have married a rich brat- or something along those lines."

Accepting his hand, So nodded and looked down at his cards. So there were deeper reasons for Soo's hatred. He had not known.

His hand was fair, but not the best. Two ribbons, but nothing else that drew So's skilled hand towards them. He hoped the first layer of cards gave way to some ribbons.

Wook's bodyguard hummed as he tossed a card down. "I remember when the old hag would walk around the house and demand why this wasn't here or that wasn't in that place. She'd complain about Hae Soo from morning till night and then, when Chae Ryung brought Mi to see her father, she'd act as if Soo was the most wondrous person, asking how she had managed to create a child as beautiful as Mi."

Chae Ryung nodded as she drank her beer. "Mm, I know. Mi always asked to go home early because her grandmother was smothering her. Soo was always so happy to have Mi back beside her and I wondered why she even sent the girl to see her father, but I guess it was because Soo just didn't want to be with Wook."

"Two go," the maid said. She slapped her cards down and collected her points. "Stop." The maid gathered the pool and smiled as she counted out her coins.

Chae Ryung tossed the rest of her cards onto the pile and So did the same as he raised his eyebrows for her to continue. Nodding, Chae Ryung took a strip of squid off of the plate and began gnawing on it as she shuffled the cards again. "She cares so much for people that aren't her… She could have forced Wook to come to her brother's house, but she sent Mi to him so Wook didn't have to face Baek Ah."

Nodding, So absorbed the information set before him. _Something bad happened when Mi was a toddler. It caused a rift between Wook and Soo. Soo took Mi and left Wook for a month._

From the current state of the family, So assumed the two had made amends and gotten back together. After all, they were still married and they had made Yoon.

He scooped his cards off of the blanket. And listened as Wook's bodyguard sighed. "I envy you, So," the older man muttered.

"Why?" So asked.

He met eyes with Wook's bodyguard before glancing away to flick his wrist and send a card hurtling down. It collided with the green blanket with a snap and So stacked his points in place, organizing his cards where they belonged.

After his turn, So returned his attention to Wook's guard, listening as the man continued. "You get to guard Wook's wife and children. Must be nice. No political dinners, no backroom deals." So blinked as he replayed the man's words in his mind.

"What?"

Chae Ryung shook her head. "Don't pay attention to him, So. He comes up with strange conspiracy theories because Wook sometimes meets diplomats or people of the opposing party."

The older man drank his beer and So narrowed his eyes. _He doesn't look like a crazy conspiracy theorist… then again, if Wook is dealing in shady business, that might explain why I was hired. Politicians are the most mistrusting people… My benefactors probably told me to get rid of the family to teach other politicians a lesson. Pull the problem at the root and destroy the entire plant. That tax that didn't pass... Wook's party was the one that brought it up. That's probably why I was hired. But it didn't pass..._

"I'm telling you, Wook is colluding with the opposite party. I may not have heard what they were saying, but there isn't any reason Wook should even be in the same room as those people. You think Wang Yo just wanted to have tea?"

So frowned at the sudden mention of his brother's name but said nothing. The maid rolled her eyes as Chae Ryung nodded. "Uh huh and pigs can fly. Come on- he may be a shitty husband, but we can all agree he's a great politician." Her rebuke was met with a glare. Wook's bodyguard scoffed at Chae Ryung before he tossed his cards down.

"I win," the older man shrugged. He collected his money and So shuffled the cards. "You know Wook used to cheat?"

Chae Ryung hit the old bodyguard's arm as So raised his eyebrows, his interest piqued. "Really?" he asked.

"Used to!" Chae Ryung snapped. "Not anymore!"


	9. Enigma

**Thank you Krysyuy for beta-ing and helping me get out of writer's block~**

* * *

 **Hwang Bo Wook**

She was an enigma, his wife.

Wook watched her as they ate dinner, taking time to actually look at her as she helped Yoon and tried to coax some vegetables into the meat craving Mi. Soo had not taken off her work clothes, making her the most overdressed person at the table, but she seemed not to care. Her hair was still short- a style Wook cared little for but knew to be practical. Too many times, the long hair had gotten caught in one of Yoon's toys.

Wook found her boring, but he loved her all the same. After all, she had given birth to the lights of his life. The two girls that complained about the vegetables on their plates, and bit and kicked each other when the other breathed too loudly.

"Listen to your mother, Mi," Wook said, spooning soup into his mouth. His voice ended whatever argument had erupted between his wife and daughter. "You're not going to leave the table until all of the vegetables in your bowl are gone."

He looked up at his crestfallen daughter with a raised eyebrow as Soo sent him a smile. Wook looked away from his wife and continued to eat.

He knew that he had first fallen for her because of her beautiful eyes. As a younger man, he had first seen the daughter of Hae Ha Jin when she had walked through the law firm he worked at. Holding Baek Ah's arm, she had flounced into the building, laughing with her brother as he guided her to meet one of his friends. Her hair had been long and wavy, her amber eyes shining. Wook remembered her wearing a lavender dress and white high heels. Looking back, Wook realized he had not been the only man in the office who had become smitten with the pretty heiress and he had not been the only one to ask her out that day.

Wook remembered how he had stumbled through his request. Too shy to meet her eyes but wanting to seem masculine, he had given her a booklet of paintings and invited her to an art museum. He had fretted for days afterward, wondering if he had made a fool of himself; which was why it had come as a surprise when she had called a week later and accepted his proposal. Their first date, they had wandered around a museum, shyly holding each other's arm and then slowly progressing into dinner. It had rained that day, and Wook had given Soo his jacket to keep her warm. That had been the first of many many dates to come.

Then, only six months into their relationship, Soo had gotten pregnant.

They were married one month after they had told her parents.

Wook almost chuckled as he remembered how much his hands had shaken when he first met Soo's parents. Baek Ah had punched him in the face before Soo had shielded him, screaming at her brother that she would rather die than abort their baby. The only other option had been to marry, so Wook had agreed… and oh how well he had chosen.

Soo's parents had been pleased that he was a lawyer, but they had been blunt in their dislike that he was _just_ a lawyer. So they had poured money into him and raised him to where he was now. Wook knew that his current political standing and net worth were all due to his in-laws and wife.

 _"You may be married to my Soo, but you have yet to deserve her, boy,"_ Hae Ha Jin had declared. _"Work hard to become a man worthy of Soo- I'll provide the means necessary. You're a small-time lawyer, but she's the heiress to the Hae Group. You would do well to work to reach a status worthy of her."_

And he had.

Wook remembered how happy he had been to please, breaking his back beneath the long hours and endless array of people he had to work for and with. But he had been in love. Wook knew that in his early thirties, the happiest part of his day had been going home and seeing his new wife and daughter. He would play with Mi after a hard day and forget that he had worked at all. He would kiss Soo and make love to her after dinner and they would fall asleep together, content in their little sphere of adoration.

His mother had once told him that raising children would be the hardest part of his life, but Soo's parents had seen to provide whatever their daughter needed in order to work while also being a mother. Nannies, maids, secretaries, and the like were all offered and completely paid for by his in-laws. Chae Ryung, a newly graduated woman with a degree in political science, had been the first member of their household staff.

At first, Wook had adamantly refused to have a staff in the house. For the first five months of their marriage, Soo had cooked and cleaned on her own, handling her pregnancy along with her work. But his resolve had cracked after she had given birth to Mi, their first and most darling creation thus far. Postpartum depression had hit his wife and incapacitated her, leaving Wook to care for their newborn while also juggling work and a wife who had emotionally left her body.

So he had relented and agreed to a staff in order to ease the burden on his shoulders. Now, Wook hardly noticed them. They had faded into the background, becoming the cogs of the clock that kept the house in motion.

There had been a period between Mi and Yoon that Wook remembered in parts. It had torn him and Soo beyond repair and she had left him, taking Mi with her. During that time, he had fallen off of his own path, doing things he knew were… _regretful_.

For an entire month, she had lived with Baek Ah until her mother had sent her back to either make amends or get a divorce.

Wook knew Yoon had been another accident. After Soo had returned home, they had made amends and decided to take their relationship slowly, building trust before anything else. Soo had slept in one of the guest rooms, moving her residence out of their bedroom and taking the one beside her office.

Their sexual relationship had progressed better than their actual romance, but there had always been protection and he had never released inside her after their split… until he had.

After a night of drinking with his coworkers, Wook had knelt in front of Soo and begged for her to forgive him. They had made love in the master bedroom- not fucked, but actually made love- for the first time since Soo had left and the product of their copulation had been Yoon.

Soo had moved back into their bedroom after finding out about her pregnancy and their relationship had mended. They loved each other again.

Of course, that had not stopped Wook from doing things he should not have done, but their marriage was stronger than ever. Of that he was sure. He loved his Soo and she loved him.

Wook looked at his wife with a blank expression and then turned to his toddler as she babbled about dogs. Yoon used her hands to eat the food before her, making a mess down the front of her clothes. Mi grudgingly shoved a piece of eggplant into her mouth, chewing as if the vegetable would poison her. Wook knew he loved his girls. No matter how messy or grumbly they were, they were his beautiful family. His perfect life. He loved the three people in front of him.

After dinner, he gave Yoon a bath, washing soup and rice out of her hair as Soo helped Mi with her homework downstairs. Sitting on the fuzzy toilet cover in Yoon's bathroom, Wook smiled down at his daughter and watched as she splashed around, playing with the toys in the water. Yoon reenacted scenes from princess movies with her plastic dinosaurs and mimicked noises with her mouth, toothily smiling at Wook when she inevitably drowned Princess Ankylosaurus. He smiled back and leaned down to retrieve the dead dinosaur from the bubbly water.

When bath time was over, Wook passed Yoon off to her mother and went to tuck Mi into bed. He complimented her new pajamas: a blue and white set that featured the image of some princess from some movie. "Uncle Baek Ah gave them to me," Mi said as Wook laid atop her bed, taking the spot beside her. She curled up beside him. "Daddy?"

"Hm?" Wook looked up at the pink canopy that hung over Mi's bed. Her mattress was harder than his and Soo's, but her blankets were softer. Wook had to admit that he was blinded by adoration for his daughters. He spoiled them because they were his little princesses, and the frivolous bed was an exhibit of his weakness to Mi.

"I want a baby brother," Mi said, holding his hand. Wook blinked at turned to look at his daughter as she yawned. "I want a baby brother and I want him to be littler than Yoon. Kim Ah Rong got two same-looking baby brothers a week after her birthday, but I only want one."

Nodding slowly, Wook smiled and chuckled, pulling the blankets higher over Mi's shoulders. His daughter was still at the age where siblings were like toys. He wished she would stay his little princess forever. "Daddy will talk to Mommy about it," he said with a smile and a kiss to her forehead. "Goodnight, princess."

"Night night."

Once his daughter was asleep, Wook stepped out of her bedroom and frowned, looking around the quiet hallway. He walked toward Yoon's room to check on his other daughter but paused when he heard singing.

Standing by the doorway, he watched as Soo laid beside Yoon on her bed, patting the toddler's chest and singing softly. "Butterfly, butterfly, come fly to me."

Wook remained by the door and watched his wife as she put their daughter to sleep. Soo sang and stroked Yoon's chest, gently lulling the hyper child into dreamland. He remembered when she had done the same for Mi.

When Soo stepped out of the bedroom, Wook put an arm around his wife and nudged his forehead against hers, inhaling slowly. Her perfume was too… sweet. "She asleep?"

"Mhmm." Soo smiled, placing her hand to his chest. "I'm going to wash up," she said, kissing his cheek. Wook accepted the gesture and released his wife, taking steps toward his office. He could hear the faint swish of her pants as she walked away.

Wook sat behind the large mahogany desk in his office and booted his computer up, all while looking at a framed picture of Mi holding a newborn Yoon. Scarcely older than Yoon was right now, Mi held her little sister and stared at the camera with wide eyes, unsure of what she was doing or what Yoon even was. Wook touched the picture and smiled before returning to his screen.

He sorted through legal documents and proceedings. There was legislation to edit, bills to read, and demands from constituents to look over. Wook glanced at the mound of overtime he had intentionally saddled himself with and sighed, putting his glasses on.

Ten minutes became thirty, and that bled into forty. As he worked, Wook made notes on the legal pad by his hand, making sure no edits were left out and writing his own opinions against the text.

As he shot down a second bill, Wook heard a soft knock on the door and looked up to see it opening.

Soo stepped into his office and Wook leaned back in his chair, watching as his wife closed the door behind her. "Hello," he said. She wore a silk robe that shimmered down to her knees and no slippers. Soo padded towards him with a smile.

"Are you working?" Her voice was soft and melodic.

Nodding, Wook put his reading on pause and watched as his wife approached, her hands against his shoulders. Soo leaned back and slowly undid the tie of her robe, letting the cream colored silk slip down her skin and revealing blue lingerie. A lacy bra clung to her rosy breasts and a matching pair of panties hugged her hips.

Soo pressed her knee to his chair and Wook wrapped an arm around her waist as she sat on his lap, straddling him.

She smelled nice without her perfume. Wook tilted his chin up to look at Soo as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "How about you take a break, then?" she asked, gently swaying her hips against his pants. He leaned his head to the side and felt his lips meet Soo's. He kissed his wife and watched as she pulled away and batted her eyelashes at him. Wook noticed up close that her lashes were long.

They kissed and Wook felt Soo moving his shirt up, her hand slowly working its way up his abdomen and chest. The white t-shirt was pulled over his head and Wook sat still as Soo's hands roamed his torso. They continued to kiss and she continued to sway her hips, but he felt no reaction stirring.

"I heard Mi saying she wanted a baby brother," Soo cooed against his lips. Wook opened his eyes and looked into hers, touching her breasts and trying to stimulate some form of reaction from himself. "Do you want to make another baby? Because I do."

His hands grasped her round breasts, her supple bottom, her small hips, and her soft thighs, pulling her closer until their stomachs met and Soo was directly over his still un-erect groin. Wook sighed and pressed a hand to his forehead. "I can't get it up," he muttered. No matter how much he touched her or she touched him, there was no denying that Wook was as close to being aroused as he was to becoming one of Yoon's plastic dinosaurs.

Soo paused and Wook felt her sit back against his thighs, her hands retreating from his chest. There was no friction between them, no electricity. Wook looked at his wife as she gave him a peculiar expression- was she bewildered? Did she think there was something wrong with him? No, Wook knew nothing was wrong with him erection-wise.

He met the large wide eyes he had once fallen in love with and sighed. "I'm not going to have sex with you," he stated, too tired to mask his bluntness. "I don't feel aroused and I don't want to deal with this right now."

Soo looked hurt, but Wook could not care less. He loved her- he did not live to satisfy her. "If you don't want another baby, then just say so," she snapped. "I'm still on birth control and we can use a condom if you want."

Wook shook his head and averted his eyes from his wife's semi-naked body. "I just don't want to have sex and I don't want another baby," he muttered, rubbing a hand beneath his glasses. "Why are you so obsessed with having another one? We have two. We're done!" Wook pressed his fingers to his eyes as he felt Soo step off of his lap. Her weight lifted from his thighs and her feet thumped against the floor as she walked away. "Go to bed, Soo. I'll join you later."

He heard the office door open, then slam shut.

When Wook opened his eyes, he saw a silk robe in a puddle on the floor.

* * *

 **Wang So**

She was an enigma, Hae Soo.

What mysteries surrounded her? What had occurred between herself and her husband? Why was she so lonely within a marriage that looked so perfect?

So let his thoughts wander as he walked back from the security building. It had become common for him to pick up where Wook's bodyguard slacked, making sure the security team was constantly working, grilling them to maintain order, and making sure the family was always safe.

He walked through the sparsely housed neighborhood, passing by massive villas and estates. Some houses had lights on. Others were asleep.

It was with a sense of bitterness that So realized that he had gotten used to the view of these seven- eight- even ten bedroom houses. Having only lived in one-bedroom flats his entire life, he suddenly found himself working and living inside a large house with people who served a family that- perhaps- ruled the country. It depended on exactly how much power and influence Wook had over the President.

So pulled his coat tighter around his shoulders and exhaled a white fog into the dark night. He could not wait to get back and go to bed. After a day of running between house and security building, he felt that a hot shower and a good night's sleep were well deserved.

Punching the code into the gate, So opened the smaller entrance to the house and entered its grounds, walking over green grass that crunched beneath his feet. He noticed frost forming on the edges of the front lawn and decided that it would snow soon.

When he reached the front door, So used his numb fingertips to tap in the new seven-pin code that would unlock it.

Exiting the frigid air, So rubbed his icy hands together as he took his shoes off and set them inside one of the stalls that lined the wall. He stepped into the house and quietly padded forward, ready to go to sleep.

His feet made soft thumps against the wood floors and before So could take three strides he heard a door slam shut. He stopped in his tracks, ready to run toward the children's bedrooms should an internal threat occur.

So listened for any sign of altercation or an imbalance in the serenity of the evening. When he heard footsteps, he scanned his general area for anything that might pose a threat or act as a weapon.

So looked up as the rushed footsteps grew louder, pounding down the stairs… and then they stopped. He met eyes with a semi-naked Hae Soo.

Whatever surprise So felt was masked by a rush of realization that hit him.

She was beautiful.

In only a lacy blue bra and panties, Soo stood by the staircase like a goddess from above. Her skin was pale, her legs slim, and her body almost bare. She stared at him with those wide eyes and So felt his mouth open and his body flush with heat.

Neither of them looked away and So had the feeling that neither of them wanted to. He froze in his place and blinked only when he could feel his body react to the vision before him. It almost looked as if Hae Soo herself was also blushing but from the dimness of the hallway, So could not tell.

He swallowed, hearing a dry click in the back of his throat. He asked no questions and sought no answers. In that moment, they were the only ones in that vast house.

Hae Soo averted her gaze after an entire minute and So watched as her hair fluttered as she walked away. She did not move to cover herself, but almost ran for the master bedroom.

As she left, So realized that he had been standing in the foyer for too long. His legs unfroze and his body felt like a molten mess.

Rushing for the servants' quarters, So held a hand over his mouth to contain his raging blush. He slammed into his bedroom and shut the door before leaning against it and trying to think about anything other than how utterly stunning Hae Soo was.

He closed his eyes and he saw her. The lacy panties that held onto her skin, the bra that was just two triangles tied with ribbon. She had looked so enticing, so gut-wrenchingly beautiful.

So opened his eyes and pulled at his pants, trying to ease the strain of his slacks against his erection. Panting, he groaned when his hand swiped his length through his clothing, sending a jolt of electricity throughout his body.

Standing up, So went about his nightly actions with his teeth gritted. His groin ached and his thoughts continuously travelled toward Hae Soo no matter how much he tried not to.

 _I wonder how soft her skin is_ , he thought. So removed his clothes and neatly hung them inside his closet. He looked down at his erection, biting the inside of his cheek. "I'm not jacking off to my employer," he muttered. The words sounded hollow and meaningless.

Forgoing underwear, So pulled a pair of sweatpants on and tossed himself onto his bed, feeling the mattress bounce at the impact. So exhaled at the image of Hae Soo by the staircase. Her hair gently curling toward her milky throat… her manicured nails… So imagined her nails raking down his back- something that did nothing to help his erection subside.

Falling to his need, So gave in with a groan. His hand reached down toward the bulge in his pants, lowering the waistband of his sweats until his erection was freed from beneath its trappings. He took his length in hand and ran his fingers down it, hissing at the contact.

Up and down. He stroked himself as images of Hae Soo pervaded his mind. Groaning, So felt precum leaking from the head of his member and wetting his fingertips. His hand was no replacement for an actual woman but he continued, exhaling as his eyelids fluttered.

He imagined her hands on him, running down his chest and carding through his hair. She kissed him, her plump lips meeting his, her wide eyes smiling. Sighing, So found what little pleasure he could, moaning as he thought of tearing those skimpy pieces of crochet off of Hae Soo.

When he came, So's head tilted back and his body grew tense as he released onto his hand and stomach. Breathing deeply, he slowed his hand, stroking himself until he was spent.

Leaning back against his pillows, So opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. A niggling sense of unfulfillment gnawed at him as he felt his semen drip from his hand and onto his body.

"Fuck," he muttered.

So reached for the tissues he kept beside the bed and cleaned himself off before closing his eyes again and wondering how one woman in lingerie had managed to bring such a reaction from him- he who had once spent an entire month in the basement of a brothel, waiting to catch a single man. During that time, So had seen more than he had ever wanted to see and yet, he had never felt as flushed or breathless as he did when he saw Hae Soo in something with more coverage than what the callgirls wore.

After all, she was Hae Soo. She was completely different from any woman he had ever met.


	10. Again

**Hae Soo**

Soo found that each time her bodyguard looked at her, she was glancing away even quicker than she had in the past. Her cheeks stained red and her hands grew clammy as her heart raced, pounding against her ribcage and making her feel like a teenager.

She did not know what had come over her when she had let Wang So stare at her that night. Perhaps it was her need to feel affirmed or her anger at Wook for being so crass. Either way, Soo had shown her body to her guard… and it had felt _good_.

She had escaped to her bedroom and immediately hidden under the covers of her bed, blushing like a little girl. Pressing her hands to her cheeks, Soo had curled up and closed her eyes, trying to fathom why she had done… _that_.

Rubbing her chin, Soo snapped out of her reverie and shook her head. "Dammit," she muttered.

Sitting at her desk, she tapped her foot as she glanced up at the stock index on her TV screen. Her eyes were back onto her computer as soon as she verified that nothing had tanked in the past hour.

Girls at school, husband at work, and staff doing their various duties. Soo found herself in her office, quietly signing documents and setting them aside for her assistant to fax. She texted Baek Ah intermittently, asking if he was willing to forgo a shareholders' meeting in place of having lunch with the heads of other corporations.

 _-Sure. Can I have your kids next Saturday? I need an excuse to go to a theme park.-_

Frowning, Soo chuckled as she shook her head. "Why do you need to go to a theme park?" she asked, thumbing a reply.

 _-Sometimes, baby sister, adults are allowed to have fun. You should try it sometime.-_

Soo rolled her eyes and set her phone down.

Suddenly, her computer went blank. The once vibrant screen, layered with multiple documents and ready to print at least five, shut off with a tiny _pop_. Raising her eyebrows, Soo stared at her reflection in the screen. She looked as incredulous as she felt. "Really? Now?"

After multiple attempts to restart her computer, Soo gave up and slumped against the back of her leather chair, shaking her head. Staring at the tops of her knees, she wondered if her laptop was still at her office in her father's building. "Dammit, dammit, dammit," she groaned.

Calling for Chae Ryung to hire a computer technician, Soo collected her phone and a couple of folders before pushing her chair into her desk and exiting her office.

It was a short walk from her study to her husband's and Soo pushed back whatever embarrassing thoughts clouded her mind as she sat down in his chair. It was the same type as hers, but was less worn and covered in fewer crayon scribbles. Wook's chair had been replaced a month ago- after he had spun Mi around in it and accidentally broken an armrest off.

Soo smiled at the framed pictures on his desk. Sleek platinum encased the memories and happy moments they had spent with their girls.

There was one of Mi holding her little sister for the first time, her eyes wide in apprehension. Soo traced her fingers over Yoon holding a cupcake, her chubby cheeks smothered in pink icing. Her favorite was Mi and Yoon at the beach. They wore matching swimsuits and both girls sobbed toward the camera after having their cookies snatched by seagulls. Soo remembered how they had demanded Wook punish the birds for taking the snacks right out of their hands.

When Soo booted Wook's computer up, she gazed lovingly at his home screen. A large image of her babies laughing greeted her. Mi's front teeth were missing and Yoon's hair was covered in a hat with a large pom-pom on it. The girls held hands on a swing set in the park, their little boots colliding.

Chuckling, she opened the internet on the computer and did not blink when Wook's e-mail account flashed onto the screen. He had nineteen unread e-mails. Soo scanned over them with mild interest.

Mostly work-related, there was one from his father about going fishing one weekend and another from herself. She remembered forwarding something regarding their accountant. Others were spam content and some were unopened just because Wook did not need to see why his secretary was going to be late for work.

Soo moved to X out of her husband's business when a name caught her eye.

Wook's e-mail showed an opened message from Han Si Yeon. If Soo's memory served her, that had been one of his girlfriends from college. She wondered why an ex was contacting her husband as she clicked on the e-mail.

Her eyes widened and her hand flew to her chest as she was greeted with images of a naked woman in her husband's arms.

Wook laid in bed, reading a book as the woman- who Soo assumed to be Si Yeon- took a selfie of them. Her breasts crushed against his side and her dark hair was long around them as Wook ignored the camera, his glasses perched against his nose, and his eyes on his book.

There were more images. One where they were naked in the bathroom, brushing their teeth. In another, Wook did his necktie as the woman kissed his cheek. There were six pictures of them in various states of undress.

Soo stopped breathing.

She stared at the selfies of her naked husband- his wedding ring still on, and his arms around a different woman.

At the very bottom of the e-mail was a message.

 _Come back soon, Wookie… I want to take more pictures of your sexiness._

When Soo found the energy to pull herself out of that e-mail, she began to notice how often the woman's name appeared in Wook's inbox… and how those e-mails coincided with many of the days Wook had been "working late."

Like lightning, Soo closed all of the tabs and was greeted by the smiling faces of her babies. At the sight of the beautiful children she had made with Wook, she wanted to cry.

Her chest ached and her shoulders rose and fell with heavy breaths. Soo's arms felt like lead and her legs were loose from a sudden loss of energy. She had no words and had no way to describe the betrayal that slapped her in the face.

 _Again. He's cheating again._

Gasping for breath, Soo pressed a hand to her chest and tried to steady herself. She stood from the chair on shaking legs, clutching at the desk to stay upright. Her hands worked on auto-pilot, reaching for her belongings and clutching them close so that she could flee.

Soo stumbled out of the office and looked around the house she had bought with Wook. Their first house. The house Mi and Yoon had been born in. _Has he ever brought her here? Has he brought that woman into our bed?_

Numbly, she made her way downstairs and sat down at the base of the staircase, her hand clawing at the banister. Her nails scraped the unyielding wood and she leaned against it, uncomprehending of the world around her. "Mrs. Hae?" Soo looked up to see Chae Ryung and Wang So peering down at her. "Are you alright?" Chae Ryung raised her eyebrows but Soo looked at So as he frowned, concern etching onto his features.

 _How could you let this happen again?_

Blinking, Soo pressed a hand to her mouth and panted, slowly beginning to hyperventilate. She gasped and tried to find the right words, but she could only swallow back whatever wretched noise threatened to claw out from her throat. She almost screamed, but the only sounds that came from her mouth was the rush of air as she struggled to calm herself.

So rushed forward to hold her shoulders and Soo's erratic breathing steadied as he firmly grasped her, his eyes staring into hers. "Slowly, slowly," he said, nodding his head to the rhythm she should be breathing in. "Someone bring water!" he shouted into the hallway.

Soo held So's wrist to prevent him from leaving- to keep him from leaving her alone. She held onto him and he stayed. "Mrs. Hae, are you alright?" Her children's governess sounded so worried, but Soo's mind whirred with cluttered thoughts, blocking out excess noise.

"I- um, p-pack some clothes for Mi and Yoon," she uttered. "Some for myself as well. Um, four days worth… I…" she trailed off and accepted a glass of water from one of the maids. Holding the cup in her shaking hand, she took a small sip of its icy contents before setting it aside for fear of dropping it.

"Would you like me to call Mr. Hwang Bo?" Chae Ryung asked. "Tell him you're not feeling-"

"No!" Soo burst before pressing a hand to her mouth and repeating herself in a lower voice. "No, he's… he must be busy. It's alright."

As Chae Ryung left to complete her tasks, Soo sat with her bodyguard standing in front of her, her hand still clamped onto his wrist. She grasped at the stiff material of his jacket and pressed a hand over her eyes. "Madam Hae." So knelt in front of her until they faced each other. Soo looked up from her hand. His voice was lowered almost to a whisper and his eyes betrayed his worry. Soo thought he had lovely eyes. "Are you alright?"

She shook her head and forced herself to let go of him. "You should prepare some clothes," she murmured. "We won't be around for… for a bit." Soo remained on the stairs as Wang So reluctantly lowered his hand.

"Will you be alright unattended?" he asked.

Soo nodded before pressing her hands to her eyes again. She heard him walk away, but her thoughts were on the pictures she had just seen. Wook seemed to have no problem getting erect with his mistress. _Mistress_. The word felt so dirty in her mind.

"Stupid," she whispered, pulling her knees to her chest. "How could you let this happen? How could you… again." She wanted to cry, but nothing came up. Her eyes remained dry while her heart shattered and her stomach roiled. Was this her fault? She had no idea.

Some time seemed to pass and Soo looked up when the front door opened. Wang So stepped into the house with Yoon in his arms, her backpack hanging off his wrist. He removed her shoes and Yoon beamed. "Mommy!" she called.

Blinking, Soo forced herself to stand. "Hi, baby." She took Yoon from So's arms and hugged her daughter close, holding the back of Yoon's neck and closing her eyes as she clutched her daughter to her body.

"Mommy, hug too tight," Yoon giggled. She touched Soo's earrings and Soo smiled as she felt Yoon's little heart pitter against her chest. "No piano, Mommy?" Soo sniffed and bit her bottom lip when Yoon's little lips met her nose. "Kissies."

"No piano and no lessons with Chae Ryung," she replied. She began walking up the stairs, adjusting Yoon so the child was against her hip. "We'll wait for your sister to come home."

A little snack was brought for Yoon, and Soo sat on the floor of her office, watching her daughter wiggle her toes while taking bites of a bun filled with red bean and cream. "Mommy, ah-" Yoon offered her bread to Soo and motioned for her to open her mouth. Soo looked at her daughter and reached to pull Yoon onto her lap. The little girl squirmed and giggled as the movement caused her to smudge cream onto her nose.

"It's alright Yoon, Mommy isn't hungry," Soo said as she wiped her daughter's face off. She hugged Yoon's waist and pressed her forehead to the child's back, trying to borrow some of her endless energy and happiness. Yoon was oblivious, but Soo liked that her daughter seemed not to know or care what was going on. It made her feel better to know her daughter was happy.

When Mi arrived Soo smiled for her older child, but it seemed to be of no use. As soon as Soo saw Mi, she knew her daughter felt that something was off. Her oldest child hugged her and refused to let go, holding onto her hand or sweater and constantly looking up at her with worried eyes. Soo smiled for Mi and reassured the girl that she was fine. A snack was also brought upstairs for Mi and the girl sat beside Soo, her bottom firmly planted beside her mother's. Soo smoothed her daughter's school uniform as she ate.

By some mistake of fate, Wook came home early, having left something behind at home. Soo's eyes widened when he appeared in her doorway, his eyebrows raised. "Why are there suitcases in the foyer?" he asked.

 _Hello, how are you? How was your day?_

Soo watched her girls run toward Wook and hug him. "Daddy!" they shouted. Wook knelt to give each daughter a hug and a kiss as his secretary made for his office. His eyes remained on Soo as he greeted their children.

"I'm taking them to my parents' house," Soo said, rising from the floor. She approached her husband in an attempt to bring her daughters back to her but ended up receiving a kiss on the cheek from Wook.

The place where his lips had met her skin seared and Soo took a step back from Wook. "Why are you taking them to your parents' house?" he asked, hoisting Yoon and Mi into his arms. He carried both with ease. "It's a school night. Wait 'til Friday evening and take them for the weekend."

Soo stared at her husband, swallowing her repulsion. She took a gulp of air and stepped forward, placing a hand against Mi's back. "I'd like to take them tonight."

"You look pale. Are you sick?" Wook leaned forward and Soo flinched when his forehead met hers. Wook raised an eyebrow. "You don't have a fever… What's wrong?"

Soo remembered to take a breath and she shook her head. "I'm fine. I'm just… just tired," she lied. "I want to get to my parents' place before dinner so I can talk to Dad before we eat."

Wook nodded and gave their children each a long kiss on their cheeks. "Be good when you're with Mommy, understand baby dinosaurs?" he asked. Both girls nodded and eagerly kissed Wook back, hugging his neck and giggling at how his hair looked styled back.

He set the girls down and Soo moved to follow them out of her office but Wook held an arm out, blocking her path. Her face almost collided with his outstretched arm but she stopped just in time.

She looked up at him and took a step back as he shut the door behind them. "Alright, what's this really about?" he asked. Removing his coat, Wook draped it over his arm and Soo swallowed.

"I don't know what you mean," she replied, evading his question. Wook looked less than impressed and Soo felt trapped within her own office. It had taken two minutes for her to feel uncomfortable in the same room as her husband when just one week earlier, she had been in his office, almost begging for sex.

"Soo, you're not fooling me. We've been married for seven years," he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "What's this all about? It's a school night. Is it something I did? If you're angry at me, then we need to talk. You can't just run because you don't like something I may or may not have done."

 _Ever the lawyer, aren't you?_ Soo shook her head. "I'm not angry, Wook. This isn't about you. I just… I want to see my parents and today just felt right."

Slowly, Wook nodded and tossed his coat onto her desk. "So it's not me," he muttered. "Then is it this?" Soo stepped backwards as her husband's hands met her face and his lips pressed against hers. She cringed as he kissed her and tried to move away, but his grasp was firm and she was too surprised to fight back. Wook lowered a hand to her hip, untucking her shirt and placing his hand against her skin.

"I can get it up today," he murmured to her. "And I have an hour before I need to go back to work." Soo fell backwards against her desk and held a hand back to soften her landing. She sat on the tabletop as her husband's fingertips made their way up her thigh, his lips gently tracing down her throat. She closed her eyes at the sensation until she imagined her husband doing these things to his mistress- to the woman he had chosen over her.

Her eyes snapped open and she flinched at his touch.

"No," she whispered. Her hands met his chest as her skirt was lifted and her underwear exposed. "No. Wook, stop," she said, raising her voice as he touched her through her panties. "Stop."

Soo looked into her husband's eyes as he removed his hands from her and crossed his arms. "Is this retribution?" he asked simply.

Instead of answering, Soo lowered her skirt and tucked her blouse back into it. She held a hand out to prevent him from coming any closer. "It's me wanting to visit my parents," she replied quickly. Soo opened her door and walked out of the office, trying to clean her disheveled state.

She could hear Wook following behind her. "Goddammit, Soo, talk to me!" he shouted. "What is wrong?!"

Soo motioned for her bodyguard to ready the car and she accepted her coat, gloves, and handbag from the maid that offered them. "I will see you soon." Soo turned to face her husband as he glared at her. Wook stood at the top of the stairs and looked down at her with a sigh.

"Come back when you feel like being my wife again," he called to her.

From where she stood, Soo could see Chae Ryung already helping the girls into the car as Wang So put their bags in the trunk. "Goodbye, Wook," she said.

Soo walked through the house and to the back entrance. Her face was slapped by the cold winds that howled but she braved through the weather toward the black car Wang So stood by. Her bodyguard opened the door for her and shut it after she slid in beside her children's car seats.

So took the driver's seat and started the car. Soo watched as he glanced into the rear-view in order to pull out of the driveway. She pulled her seatbelt on.

The car exited the property in a matter of seconds and Soo looked over at her bodyguard as he began taking the route toward her parents' house. She took a deep breath before unsuccessfully trying to steel her nerves. "We're not going to my parents' home," she decided. Soo met eyes with Wang So and made her decision.

"Take us to the Shilla Hotel."


	11. Déshabillé

**Thank you Krysyuy for being the best beta in the world~**

* * *

 **Wang So**

"Mommy, I wanna see Grandma," Mi said from the backseat.

So glanced into the rear-view as Soo nodded to her daughter. She nervously pulled at her jacket and tried to smooth her skirt. Soo looked disheveled in a way he had never seen.

"We're not going to see Grandma, baby," she said, reaching over Yoon to take Mi's hand.

"But you told Daddy-"

"Mi." Soo's voice grew stern and So quirked an eyebrow as he spied on the mother and her children. He took a turn and pulled into the driveway of the Shilla Hotel, nodding to the valets that stood at attention.

 _What happened?_ he thought as he pressed on the brakes. _Why is she acting so strangely?_

There was no explanation for the surge of protectiveness So felt towards Soo when she put on a fake smile for her children. The girls did not need to know about Mommy's breakdown just hours earlier.

So was the first out of the vehicle and he held a hand out to stop the valet that approached the car door. So reached and opened it for Soo to step out.

He watched as Soo helped Yoon jump out from the car and glanced over to the other side, where an impatient Mi opened her own door and stepped out on her own volition. Mi scurried over to her mother's side and grasped Soo's jacket. "Mr. Wang, please… um, collect our…" So frowned as Soo trailed off, a dazed look in her eyes.

He tossed the car keys to one of the valets as Soo walked into the hotel with her children. So helped one of the workers load the three suitcases in the trunk onto a luggage cart. "We will bring the bags to your room," the valet said. Nodding, So jogged into the hotel, moving past displays of diamond necklaces and silk gowns.

He approached the front desk and noticed the back of Soo's yellow skirt and gray jacket. She held Yoon's hand while Mi stood on the tips of her toes to try and peek over the front desk.

Before he arrived by Soo's side, So paused to adjust his suit. Pulling at the lapels of his coat, he walked at a steady pace until he was behind Soo. He watched her charge the rooms to her credit card.

So breathed deeply when he was handed a master key for both rooms.

* * *

In the elevator, So stood by Soo as she pressed her forehead against the cold metal walls. He watched her breath fog the glass-like pane as her children asked their incessant questions. Soo ignored their chatter and So watched as she grew dazed, not moving when the doors opened on their floor.

He reached to touch her arm and quickly drew back when she flinched. Her wide eyes grew even wider as she looked at him. So motioned toward the open doors. "Mrs. Hae," he said quietly.

They stepped off and So guided the family toward their rooms. Trekking through the desolate hallways, he walked at a slow pace, constantly keeping his attention on Soo. He wondered what had happened. She had hyperventilated on the staircase before leaving her husband with a lie and taking their children. Nothing added up and So wanted to know what was going on.

The doors were beside each other, two heavy entrances. So wondered what he would do while Soo was hiding from her husband.

He opened the first door and saw the girls' luggage inside. He assumed his bag was in the other room… with Soo's.

Sunlight streamed into the large space, illuminating the dark maroon and cream theme of the interior. The brown tabletops gleamed and the two beds were made without flaw. "Girls, this will be your…" Soo trailed off and So pressed his lips into a fine line, his worry tripling.

Yoon was already jumping around the room, laughing and tossing pillows at her sister. So glanced down at Mi who continued to hold Soo's hand, staring at her mother. "Go play, baby," Soo smiled. "Play 'til dinnertime and I'll come check on you in a bit." She gave Mi a reassuring nod and So watched as the little girl let go, scampering off to where her sister was already pulling her shoes off and tossing them aside.

He followed Soo as she closed the door to the room, locking the children inside. His eyebrows furrowed as Soo pressed a hand to the barrier that cut her off from her children.

As soon as the lock clicked, So noticed Soo's shoulders slump and her smile disappear.

"Mr. Wang." Soo clutched his wrist, her hand grasping at his coat. "Please make sure no one comes near my children," she pleaded, pulling at his sleeve. They met eyes and So felt his stomach clench at the utter desperation in Soo's gaze. "Not even their father. If he comes, keep him away, _please_."

So snapped. There was no other reason for Soo to keep herself and her children away from Wook unless he had abused them or her. So needed answers.

Reaching forward, he grasped Soo's shoulders and stared down at her. "What's going on, Soo?" he demanded, her name slipping from his lips. "Why are you acting like this? What's going on?"

Her beautiful eyes welled with tears and So's heart ached as she raised a hand to wipe them away. Soo sniffled and he loosened his grip on her shoulders. He breathed deeply, watching her press her hands to her face to muffle her crying. "I'm sorry," she hiccuped. "I'm sorry. I just… I don't know what to do."

Glancing around, So located a security camera. He sighed before unlocking the room next door and holding it open for Soo.

She walked past him, entering the bedroom and making for the nearest chair. Soo sat down on the chaise longue, her skirt fanning around her like a flower. So followed close behind and knelt before Soo as she used her sleeve to wipe her eyes. "Soo," he said quietly. He did not touch her, only looked up at her from where he knelt. "What happened? What do you need me to fix?"

"He's cheating on me," she whispered abruptly. So froze when the words hit him.

Unconsciously, his hand curled into a fist and rage engulfed his body. " _What_?"

"Wook," Soo sobbed, "he's cheating again- been cheating- I don't know!"

 _I'll kill him_ , So thought. _How dare he treat her like this?_

Swallowing and breathing deeply, So bit back his vicious thoughts. Instead, he reached into his coat and removed a handkerchief. He placed it against Soo's hand and gave her some space as she accepted the square cloth to wipe her tears.

"What would you like me to do?" he asked, sincerity coating every single word. "Anything you ask, I'll do it." _If you ask me to get rid of Wook tonight, I'll do it._

Soo looked up, her wide eyes rimmed with red and wet lines running down her cheeks. So did not touch her. He wanted nothing more than to dry her tears and comfort her, but he sat still.

"Please take care of my girls," Soo said. "I'd like to sleep and… and have some time to myself."

 _She's distraught. You can't leave her alone. What if she does something dangerous?_

So wanted to stay with Soo. To comfort her. He wanted to keep her company; shoulder her burdens; keep her from hurting herself. "Of course," he nodded, going against his own thoughts. "I'll be in the girls' room if you need anything."

As he left the room, So looked back and watched Hae Soo shed her jacket before reaching toward the in-room bar.

* * *

So could not remember the last time he had spent so much time with two small children. He sat on the chaise longue in the girls' room and watched as they colored together.

The girls sat beside him on the longue with two books open between them and a box of pastels each. They colored quietly, their little heads pressed together. One child had her hair in twin plaits tied with blue ribbons. The other's hair was in a ponytail.

So watched them as they spoke. Mi would direct Yoon's crayon inside the lines and Yoon would retaliate by placing dots of strange colors within Mi's paper. The two played, argued, and hummed. Neither seemed to care that So was with them. The girls were content in their own world of black and white mermaids, playing pretend and giggling as they gave their pictures green hair or blue skin.

After an hour of coloring, So cleared his throat.

Both Mi and Yoon turned towards him. While Mi remained in her seat, Yoon tossed her crayons aside and clambered onto So's lap. He felt her little hands pull at his shirt as she adjusted her position. So held Yoon with one hand as she leaned her head against him. "I hungwy," she whined. "Dinner dinner!"

And so, they ordered room service. So sat beside the phone as Mi and Yoon each chose a dinner. He also ordered food for himself, unwilling to leave the girls unattended to get his own meal.

Yoon decided on pasta while Mi asked for oxtail stew. So chose the same as Mi and placed an order for the three meals. He paused before ordering vegetable porridge for the room next door. Wondering if Soo would be able to eat anything, he asked for the porridge to be made especially watery.

He helped the girls unpack their shared bag, opening it and digging through the piles of clothing. His hand burrowed through layers of ruffles, denim, lace, velvet, and fur in search of what was asked. "Socks, please," Mi said behind him. So felt her little shoulder press against his side and he reached to pick up a roll of lacey white. Handing the socks to Mi, So watched as she sat down and raised her knee to her chest, pulling them onto her little feet.

When room service arrived, So pulled the cart into the room. He paused and addressed the girls as they eagerly scrambled toward the delicious smelling meals beneath their coverings. Yoon bounced before the cart and giggled as So pushed it toward the chairs. "Will you girls start first while I see if your mother will have dinner?" he asked.

After receiving confirmation, So left the girls' room and entered the hallway. He looked at Soo's room number and knock. "Soo- Mrs. Hae?" So called. He waited for ten seconds before unlocking and opening the door.

So stepped into the bedroom and immediately caught sight of the small bottles of whiskey from the bar. An empty bottle sat on the table and was joined by a second that Hae Soo set down. She sat on the chaise longue in a pair of green pajamas, her bare feet tucked beneath her.

 _She's feeling indecisive. She could have opened one large bottle of whiskey but she chose to go through multiple small ones instead._

"Sit beside me," she said, patting the spot next to her. So complied. Moving forward, he took his place and felt the cushion sink beneath his weight. He kept his eyes trained on Soo as she sighed and took another sip of whiskey. "Thank you for the room service." She nudged her chin in the direction of the white cart in the corner of the room. So noticed that the food had been opened but left untouched.

"It's no problem," he said quietly.

"I apologize for not getting you your own room," Soo muttered. "It was shortsighted of me." So listened to the now empty bottle clack onto the wooden table as Soo set it down. Johnnie Walker joined Ballantine.

He sat straight and she turned towards him. "It's alright," So replied. "I can stand guard in the hallway if that's what you wish."

Soo seemed clear-eyed for someone who had just consumed three mini-bottles of whiskey, but So had no idea what her drinking tolerance was. "Or you can sleep here," she sighed, cracking another bottle open.

Blinking, So detected nonchalance and wondered if she was being sarcastic. "How are you feeling?" he asked, changing the subject. "Can you eat anything?"

He watched as Soo shook her head. She pressed her hands over her eyes before removing them and staring at him. So peered into the mesmerizing orbs, silently listening to her troubles and offering himself as her comfort. "I don't feel anything," Soo whimpered. She gave a small laugh and So nodded.

 _She's in shock. She's not thinking properly._

"I feel like I should be hurt that Wook is cheating and that this is happening again, but I don't because… because I think I've been cheating as well." She laughed and So raised an eyebrow at Soo. The younger woman set her whiskey down and pushed the still-full bottle towards the empty ones. "I thought it would be the natural thing to do, but the alcohol just makes me feel warm. I don't have any tears."

 _She's been cheating on Wook? How? I've been with her every second of the day for the past few months. She's not sleeping with anyone._

Soo heaved a sigh and So felt her elbow brush his arm as she ran a hand through her hair. "I just… is it so wrong for me to fall for someone other than my husband?" So glanced at his feet and shook his head.

"I don't think it's my place to tell-"

"It's you," Soo interjected. So's head snapped up. He stared at the woman before him as she gazed at him with an expression he had never seen before. Her gaze felt warm and her eyes were smiling, even if her lips were not. "I… like you."

It was everything he had hoped for. For the affection of Hae Soo. For her to like- or perhaps need- him. So had no words to express his relief that his pining had not been one-sided. He opened his mouth to speak, and then Soo's lips came crashing down onto his.

His eyes widened and So nearly fell backwards, but she was too light to completely topple him. He held her arms and kissed her back, feeling her lips as her hands pulled at his shirt. Closing his eyes, So tilted his head and met her lips with his. She tasted like whiskey and smelled like honey. He could feel her untucking his shirt and pulling at the buttons.

His mind blurred at the sheer intensity of the moment, but before So could open his mouth to Soo's tongue, he felt her hand against his skin and he returned to his senses.

He pushed her away.

Holding Soo at arm's length, So took a deep breath and shook his head. "Please don't do anything you'll regret," he pleaded, unable to look into her eyes. His heart thrummed and his body yearned to touch hers, but he held her away. He did not want her to unintentionally hurt herself. "You're drunk. Please just… don't let yourself make any decisions you'll regret when sober."

When he looked up, Soo's hand was pressed to her lipstick smudged lips. She stared at him with dejection in her eyes and he averted his gaze. "I'm not drunk, Wang So," she softly replied. At the sound of Soo saying his name, a shiver ran down So's spine, but he grounded himself and looked up once more. "I can drink better than anyone I know."

Slowly, he let go of her arms and Soo looked away from him. He saw the embarrassment on her face as she pressed a hand to her chest. "I have to check on the children," So murmured. He stood and moved away from her, tucking his shirt back into his pants and wiping lipstick off of his mouth. "I'll come again to see if you're alright. Excuse me."

Bowing, he left Hae Soo behind.

In the hallway, So leaned against a wall and pressed a hand to his pounding heart as he fought to control himself. She affected him like no other. He licked his lips, trying to taste her again. His palms ached with the need to touch her skin.

He placed a hand against his stomach, where Soo had pressed her hand to him. He wanted to be with her and now he knew that she wanted to be with him.

Taking a deep breath, So calmed himself and wiped his mouth, making sure he was presentable. Then, he opened the door to the girls' room and joined them for dinner.

After picking through his oxtail stew, So helped the girls get ready for bed. While Mi was able to change and brush her teeth on her own, So fought and wrestled with Soo's fiesty three-year-old in order to put the little girl into pajamas and brush her teeth.

He had once taken part in an illegal fighting ring, playing for the gang he usually worked for. So found that putting a squirmy child in pajamas was exponentially harder than fighting a hundred kilogram man. Adults had rules. Children did not.

When So released the screaming toddler back into the wild, she immediately sprinted around the room and laughed as he caught his breath on the floor. He stared at the duck covered pajamas he had just forced each of Yoon's arms and legs into and wondered how Hae Soo did this every night.

His thoughts drifted to Soo and So glanced up when Mi sat down in front of him. She handed him a hair brush. So accepted the offering with a confused look and stared at the little girl as she sat and turned her back to him. "Mommy brushes my hair so it doesn't get tangly, but I don't wanna bother her, so can you brush my hair?" she asked.

Of all the strange things So's hands had ever done, brushing a seven-year-old's hair had to have been the strangest, yet purest. He parted Mi's locks into quarters as she told him to, carefully detangling each section and running the brush through them until they shone in the dimming lights.

Both girls were tucked into bed and So sat beside the youngest, rubbing his forehead. He wondered how something so cute could create such a mess.

Yoon was the first to sleep, her eyes closing as soon as her head hit the pillow. So made sure her bed sheets were tucked beneath the mattress and also placed pillows onto the floor to cushion the girl if she should fall.

He sat beside Mi, and So raised his eyebrows when the girl sat up and held his hand. "Mr. So, is my mom alright?" she asked. With wide eyes, the girl stared at him and So nodded.

 _She's drinking and grieving the death of her marriage to your father, child. She's suffering._

"Mommy is doing just fine. She's just a bit tired and wants to rest," he replied. And, for some reason, So knew Mi could tell he was lying. Her bottom lip jutted out as she pouted. "Mi," he patted the girl's shoulder, consoling her, "your mother is the strongest person you know, isn't she?"

He watched as Mi nodded. "Yeah, she is."

Smirking, So nodded with her. "Mommy is strong, but sometimes, even moms need to take a little break. She's having a mini vacation right now. Mommy will be fine. Mr. So will make sure she's alright, okay?"

He did not expect the hug. Mi's arms wrapped around his torso as she thanked him.

 _I'm losing my edge_ , So thought as he accepted Mi's embrace. Nevertheless, he hugged the girl back and patted her head before tucking her in again.

* * *

So stepped next door, noticing his bag had been placed beside Soo's. He met eyes with her as he entered. She looked away again.

He changed in the bathroom, pulling sweatpants on. Though So usually slept without a shirt, this time he pulled one on. He did not want to risk anything while Soo was inebriated- especially after they had just kissed.

"How are the children?" Soo asked.

"They're both asleep," he said. "I made sure they both ate dinner, brushed their teeth, and also brushed Mi's hair." He looked at Soo as she nodded her thanks.

So sat on the chaise longue as Soo glanced up from her position on the bed. She sat with her legs beneath the covers, her hands in her lap. "It's too short to fit you," she sighed, shaking her head.

She was right. So knew the greater portion of his shins would hang out from the longue if he were to lay down. With a pillow and blanket, he would look and feel supremely uncomfortable.

"I can deal with a bit of discomfort," he said to Soo as she offered a place on the bed to him. _I once spent three days in the pouring rain just to snipe someone. I'll be fine on a weird sofa._

"Well I can't deal with the fact that I was too shortsighted to get you a room," Soo said to him, pushing blankets aside to offer him the space beside her. "Either you and I both sleep on the bed or I sleep on the sofa and you take the bed," she decided.

So wanted to laugh at her stubbornness. Instead, he cleared his throat and tried to protest. "Mrs. Hae, I-"

"Just call me Soo for fuck's sake," she sighed, laying down. So watched as she pulled the blankets over her shoulders until he could only see her head. She was too cute and he _so_ wanted to laugh at her antics. "I order you to join me on this bed or you're fired."

When So sat down onto the bed, she did not move to face him. Soo remained stiff and curled to one side as he laid down on top of the blankets. So made sure there were layers between them as he faced away from her. Neither spoke and neither moved from their positions.

The lights were turned off and the two adults laid side by side with four layers between them. Neither slept very well that night.

* * *

 **Damn. I have the SAT again this weekend. Ugh.**


	12. Loveless

**Hae Soo**

She dreamt that she had woken in the middle of the night in Wang So's arms, her cheek to his warm chest and her arm wrapped around his torso. His chin had pressed against the crown of her head and they had shared the same blankets, laying in the same bed and holding each other. Her bodyguard's body had felt right against hers- comforting. He had pulled her close.

When she woke, Soo did so in an empty bed. There was no evidence that Wang So had slept beside her and no evidence that he had even been in the same room as her, aside from the neat duffel bag pushed into a corner.

She washed and dressed herself in one of the dresses Chae Ryung had packed for her. Though Soo had no intention of leaving the safety of her room, she still made sure to do her hair and apply a light layer of makeup. If it was for anyone, she lied to herself and said it was because she might need to FaceTime people for work. _Might_.

White lace draped over her shoulders and Soo struggled to zip her dress, but succeeded after a bit of contortion and a few hops. She brushed her skirt off and nodded to herself when she looked presentable. Her thoughts went to her daughters and Soo smiled as she remembered Mi picking the dress out while Yoon had chosen the color. Her girls had gotten it for her using Baek Ah's credit card and Soo wore it as often as she could.

She did not worry about Yoon and Mi. Knowing her children were safe in the care of Wang So, Soo allowed herself some time to rest. He had taken care of them the night before and seemed to be with them at the moment.

 _Wang So…_ Soo sat down in a chair as she thought about her bodyguard. She blushed as she remembered her actions from the night before. Soo had not been lying when she said she was not drunk, but she had used the whiskey as a crutch for her own insecurities, taking advantage of the alcohol and kissing her bodyguard.

Before she had kissed him, Soo had felt nothing but brokenness. She had been lost and empty. But after she had drawn up the courage to do something completely impulsive, he had kissed her back… and she liked it. After all, what did she have to lose? Her dignity?

Soo pressed her hands to her cheeks as she blushed, shaking her head. "Why did I kiss him?" she whispered.

The door opened and Soo turned instantly, shifting herself to greet her bodyguard. She tried to wash her face of emotion, but failed when she saw Wang So's tousled hair and gently wrinkled suit. He looked like he had thrown his clothes on without a second thought and rushed out the door. _Oh, that's why._ She silently answered her question.

"Good morning." He bowed to her. So stepped forward her and Soo remained still as he took to one knee and peered at her face. "How are you feeling? Are you alright?"

 _He thinks I'm hungover_ , she thought with mirth.

Tipping her head to the side, Soo offered her bodyguard a nod. "I'm doing very well. How are my children?"

"Fed, dressed, and already at school," he said. "They chose to have Korean food for breakfast, so I ordered it for them. Yoon refused to eat her rice, but I got some soup into her."

It was almost overwhelming how much he cared for her children. Soo knew from the past that none of her bodyguards had ever paid her children much mind outside of the criteria in their contracts. None of them had ever done as much as Wang So did in one day.

She thanked him.

"Have you eaten?" she asked. Soo watched her bodyguard rise to stand in front of her, his hands clasped. "I haven't had breakfast and I'd like if you joined me."

They ordered room service and Soo sat beside Wang So as they opened plates of fruit and pancakes. She held a bowl of yogurt in her hand as she watched So push the jam and syrup in the direction of her plate. "Please use as much as you'd like," he stated.

The glass containers clinked against Soo's plate.

"No, you should have some too," she said. "I can't have all of the sweets." Soo smiled at her bodyguard as he gave a little chuckle. His shoulders rose and fell as he shook his head.

"I don't like sweets."

Soo blinked at the piece of himself her guard had offered to her. She almost flinched when the surprise hit her. "But that time…" She set her yogurt down and turned toward So, leaning forward. "That time I got you ice cream, you ate all of it."

So set his fork and knife down and Soo watched him nod. His head turned in her direction and Soo stared into his lovely eyes. Tension coiled in her stomach and Soo felt herself being drawn toward him, unable to fight the magnetism that pulled her in. "Because it was from you," he murmured.

Soo closed her eyes when So's hand touched her cheek. His rough palm was warm and his thumb gently drifted over her skin. She could not look at him for fear of losing herself to his dark gaze. Soo knew who she was married to and it was not Wang So. She would not succumb to her wants. "I'm sorry I don't know anything about you," Soo whispered. She felt So's breath against her face, but he did not do anything but caress her cheek. They were so close… Soo felt her own exhales bouncing off of his skin and onto hers.

She opened her eyes when her phone rang.

Their moment was shattered and immediately, So's hand retracted, his skin parting from hers in an instant. Soo sat back in her seat, distancing herself from her bodyguard as much as she could without falling off of the sofa they shared.

Her hand reached forward to snatch the phone off of the table and Soo stood, clutching the vibrating device close. She turned her back to So and cringed, answering the call. Standing by the large floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked Seoul, Soo held the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

 _"Soo, how are you?"_ She bit her tongue the instant Wook's voice came from the other end. _"Did you get to your parents' home alright? How are the girls?"_

Nodding, Soo replied that she had. "We just… I'm in my bedroom right now. The girls are at school." Soo cringed at her own words. Of course Wook would know the girls were at school; they received text notifications each time either of the children entered or exited their respective campuses.

She heard Wook chuckle. _"I know, dear. I got the texts. Anyways, I hope you're feeling better. I'm not going to be home for a bit- the President is having an unscheduled dinner with some emissaries and I'm expected to attend. We're all going to Busan after that, so I'll be a couple days. Expect me by Sunday."_ Soo's stomach rolled and she pressed a hand to her mouth. She wondered how much of Wook's words were lies. Her mind filled with accusations, but she only sighed.

"Then I'll see you when we both get back."

 _"I love you,"_ said Wook. Soo closed her eyes.

She ended the call.

Standing by the windows, Soo stared down at the drop from her position on the fifteenth floor to the ground. She bit back whatever emotion clouded her mind and closed her eyes as she tried to compose herself. "Soo," she heard from behind.

She turned at the sound of her name and Soo saw her bodyguard standing a meter away from her. She knew she did not have to explain herself to him. She did not have to hide in front of Wang So.

They returned to the breakfast table, and Soo picked at her fruit. She pushed her pancakes aside and stirred her yogurt around as So watched her. She felt antsy, but not because of his gaze. His narrow eyes made her feel- for some strange reason- safe.

"I… I apologize for my actions last night," Soo said. She broke the ice with an apology but had no idea how to continue, or how her stone-faced bodyguard reacted to her words. Was he elated that she was apologizing? Did he not care? His handsome face betrayed nothing, but Soo finally saw a crack in his facade as he glanced away from her when she said, "It was wrong of me to force myself onto you."

Soo stood, too glum to eat breakfast. She walked away from the table and returned to the window, but paused when she heard Wang So's baritone behind her. "Soo," he said again. She felt a shiver run down her spine at the sound of his voice saying her name. She turned to face him.

"Yes?" she asked, internally cringing at how hopeful she sounded.

Wang So's gaze met hers and Soo felt herself take a step towards him. Her fingertips brushed against the chair, dragging through the velvet lining. "I… I feel the same way towards you," So explained. He wrung his hands in his lap but his eyes remained locked with hers. "I've harbored feelings for you for a very long time."

Soo could only nod as a weight fell away from her chest. Relief seemed to arrive and finally, she felt as if someone was now being truthful to her. "And have you… thought of me?" she asked. She glanced down at the patterns her fingers had traced into the chair. When she looked up, So was there to meet her eyes.

He stood and drew closer to her until their fronts were almost touching. Soo blushed as she exhaled. She looked up at her handsome companion as his hands touched the sides of her arms, gently sending goosebumps trailing down her skin. "I have," he murmured.

She placed her hands against So's slim hips, touching him and feeling the shape of his muscular body. She blinked in surprise when So's arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her flush against his chest. Soo looked up at him and saw the dark lust in his eyes, his black pupils glinting.

Yet, for how dangerous he looked, she only felt gentle hands against her as he tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Her heart pounded in anticipation and Soo breathed softly, closing her eyes when So's lips drew closer to hers.

They kissed, their lips meeting in tentative embrace. Soo let her mind go blank and her troubles fly away as she kissed Wang So, feeling him move against her. Her hands held his waist and his fingers ran through her hair.

Soo felt So's tongue against her lip and she opened her mouth, allowing him to delve deeper. They held each other, kissing and tasting, exploring and plundering. He tasted like mint and the strawberries he had just eaten. Soo whimpered as his hands ran down her arms and rested against her hips.

When she pulled away, Soo felt So's forehead lean against hers and she breathed, listening to his whispers of affection. "I've always wanted to kiss you. I've wanted to hold you in my arms and I've wanted to touch you," he murmured. His hands remained firmly planted against her hips and Soo gasped when his lips found her chin and throat.

"If I ask you," Soo said, her heart and mind clashing against each other, "will you sleep with me?" There was no need for a response, but Soo received one anyways.

"Only if you want me to." And that was all she needed.

She turned away from him as his lips touched her throat. So's hands glided up her hips and to the clasps of her dress. Slowly, she let him pull the zipper down, revealing her skin to the cool air. Soo could feel his hot breath against her back and she flinched when his lips met the back of her throat.

Her dress slid away and she stood before him in only her bra and panties, her hands covering her embarrassed face. "Beautiful," she heard him murmur. "So… beautiful."

Static crackled between their skin and Soo released a shuddering breath as she felt So unhook the back of her bra, his mouth placing dry kisses to her shoulders.

The white lace fell away and Soo pressed her hands to the breasts only Wook had ever seen, suddenly overcome with trepidation. She felt So's hands take hers, his warm fingers gently prying her hands from her skin. Her heart pounded and she wondered if he could feel her pulse. "Please don't cover yourself," he whispered into her ear.

Soo looked up at So- at the handsome face that was not her husband. She cupped his cheeks before pressing her mouth to his, ferociously kissing him.

Their tongues met and Soo gasped as So's hand found her breast, his thumb swiping over her nipple. So shed his coat and Soo unbuttoned his shirt, her mouth never leaving his. She felt him move her away from the table and press her against the window, her back meeting the icy glass.

Her mind blurred into pleasure as his large hands dragged over her skin, his tongue in her mouth. So's shirt fluttered to the ground and their kiss broke as he removed his undershirt.

Soo's hands met a muscled abdomen and narrow chest. His body was riddled with scars and her nails softly raked up its ridges, catching on the peaks of his chest. So moaned against her mouth and Soo kissed him again, raising herself to the tips of her toes. She whimpered and squirmed when So lowered himself to press kisses to her skin, gently dragging his fingers over her body. "Ah, So," she breathed. The word felt like honey on her lips and she tasted his name again when he took a nipple into his hot, sinful mouth.

The contact ended much too quickly for Soo's liking, but she exhaled sharply when So blew a stream of cold air over her breasts.

He picked her up by the waist, carrying her to the bed. Soo's arms went around So's shoulders as he held her with ease. Their hearts pounded together and she pressed her cheek to his collarbone, her lips trailing wet kisses down his throat. She traced the taut lines of his neck with her tongue, breathing hot air over the delicate skin of his jugular.

Wang So sat her down onto the bed and Soo reached for his belt, unhooking the leather strap. She unbuttoned his pants and pulled the zipper down. Even his underwear was black. Soo wanted to laugh.

Instead, she opened her mouth and dragged her lips over So's boxers, lining his erection and listening to him react to her feathery touches. She liked how he moaned; a tense burst of air fleeing his lips as his head tilted back.

She kissed him through his underwear, feeling his hand trace her hair. Soo pinched the elastic band around his waist and pulled his underwear down as she gliding her nails over the sides of his thighs. So stood before her, naked.

She paused, then, looking up at her bodyguard. Her heart froze and she realized what she was about to commit to. Soo wondered if it was her expression, but So knelt onto the bed and took her cheek in his hand, his hand cupping her face. Soo leaned into his warm touch. "I'm sorry, I- I just…"

Soo breathed deeply as So nodded. He rested his other hand against her hip and slowly, lowered himself to kiss her. Soo felt his lips against hers, but she made no move to reciprocate his caresses.

So kissed her, his hand rubbing small circles into her hip. Slowly, Soo closed her eyes and followed his actions. _This is wrong_ , she heard herself think. _This is wrong!_ But oh, he tasted good. _I have a husband. I'm married. I…_ Soo felt her arms wrap around So, pulling him closer to her.

She tipped backwards onto the mattress and he followed with her. Soo kissed So until both their lips were swollen, and she pulled away, out of breath. "Soo," he murmured close to her ear. She loved how he said her name. How he breathlessly whispered it against her ear as if the very word was sinful and sweet. "Let me make you feel good," he said. "Let me pleasure you."

Their gazes met and So looked at her imploringly, his narrow eyes full of emotion, of passion, of desire. He looked like he actually wanted _her_ … and she wanted _him_.

 _No. I'm married. I can't have sex with-_

"Yes," she breathed.

He moved her to the center of the bed and So hovered above her, his elbow pressed to the place beside her head. Soo looked up at the man that was not her husband and kissed him again.

Hot lips glossed over her throat and Soo closed her eyes to the nips and kisses he gave her, her hands covering her mouth in embarrassment. So's red tongue flicked her nipples and Soo heard herself moan in the most ungodly manner she had ever uttered.

But he did not stop.

Wang So's mouth touched every bit of skin on the line down from her breasts to the seam of her lace panties. Soo imagined that if her moans had not betrayed her arousal, her underwear did.

She felt teeth against her skin and Soo whimpered when So's white incisors clamped onto her panties and pulled them away, the lace dragging past her thighs… calves… ankles…

She was naked. Naked in front of a man that she felt too much for. The man who she hardly knew yet loved everything about.

He raised her ankle to his shoulder and Soo blushed furiously as he kissed the arch of her foot and then her Achilles tendon. Up, up, up, his mouth moved to accommodate each new area of skin and she exhaled when So's tongue slid up her thigh.

Her hands rose to meet the headboard and her nails scraped at the white wood when his lips found her sex. He was rough, but not painfully so. His tongue was shameless, but she could not complain when all she could do was voice her pleasure at his prowess.

Soo's toes curled as his lips flicked up her clit. "Oh!" Her back arched and her hips rocked to bring him closer- to increase their contact. He guided her to her tipping point and as her body shivered, his mouth pulled away, leaving her teetering at the edge of collapse.

Wang So's narrow eyes met hers as he kissed up her belly. Soo melted beneath the dark, needy gaze that captured and captivated hers. His red lips met her breasts, his teeth nipping at their hardened peaks. She closed her eyes.

He left the bed for a split moment and Soo sat up as So snatched his wallet from the ground, opening it and removing a silvery package. Her eyes were attracted to the taut muscles of his back, watching as his muscles rolled with his movements. She stared as he tore a wrapper open with his teeth, spitting it aside. "What is that?" she asked, unable to discern what was in his hands.

"Condom."

He returned to the bed once he had finished putting it on. Soo wrapped her arms around him as he kissed her. She tasted herself against his lips, and then his mouth was on her throat and chin.

She felt him between her legs, his erection sliding between the lips of her entrance. He kissed her mouth and she felt his tongue glide over her teeth. "Are you ready?" he asked, his voice a deep rasp.

"Wait," Soo whispered, pressing her hand to So's chest. She breathed heavily, feeling her own chest rise and fall with each erratic pant. She stopped him as he spread her thighs and ground himself against her. "Not from the front. I can't do it… ah, from the front."

She could see the hesitation in So's eyes, but he obliged, allowing her to turn around so that she could no longer see him. On her hands and knees, Soo tilted her chin up when she felt So's hands pull at her hips, dragging her towards him and wrinkling the sheets between them.

It felt too good to be true. Soo's nails clawed at the stiff bedsheets and she panted and moaned as he thrust into her. Why did it feel so good? She whimpered as he lined kisses down her spine, his tongue pulling the most delicious of sensations down her back. There was no end to the pleasure that built up in her core.

She felt So leaning over her body, his mouth by her ear. "Let me see your face, please," he murmured to her. "Turn so that I can see you. Let me kiss you."

Soo whined when his hand met the bundle of nerves between her legs, rubbing that tiny nub that made her swoon. "N-no," she managed to utter. "Not from the front."

When she came, Soo shuddered in pure ecstasy and bliss as her body torrented with nothing but the most agonizing delight. Pressing her forehead against a pillow, she let go, crying out as So continued to push wave after wave of pleasure into her body.

Not long after she had climaxed, Soo heard So grunt at his own release, his pace slowing into longer, deeper thrusts. His hands shook against her hips and she could hear his heavy breaths as he steadied himself.

She whined when his length completely slid out of her, pining the loss of contact.

So seemed to have noticed her complaint for as soon as he removed the condom, Soo felt his arms around her, laying her onto the bed and holding her from behind. She did not see his face, but she cuddled against his warmth. Soo could easily feel the fast thrumming of his heart against her spine.

It hurt her to know that she felt safe in his arms- protected. She did not feel lonely or out of place against his muscled chest. They panted softly, waiting for their racing hearts to slow. Neither spoke; Soo knew that the second one of them said anything the moment would end.

So kissed her cheek before laying back again.

Their breaths steadied and then, there was silence. Soo curled her legs toward her chest and pressed her hand to her mouth as she tried so hard not to think about Wook. About the betrayal. Whether it was hers or his, she did not know.

Releasing the last shred of her pride, Soo breathed deeply and made her decision. She turned around to face Wang So, wiping her mind of anything except that moment of bliss.

Gazing at his angular features, she pressed a hand to his cheek and leaned up. Slowly, she kissed him, running her fingers up his neck. They were in no rush to move and Soo opened her eyes when So's lips met her forehead. "It's snowing," he noted.

Soo turned her head and looked out the large windows. True enough, flurries of white danced around, heralding the arrival of winter. "The first snow," she whispered.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Soo remembered an old superstition from her childhood. _If you watch the first snow with your lover, you're meant to be together forever…_

She shook her head and ignored the precipitation behind her. Snow was snow. There was nothing else to it.

Tilting herself upward, she kissed Wang So again.


	13. Burn

**Warning: Mentions of abuse**

 **Thank you so much to my amazing beta Krysyuy.**

* * *

 **Wang So**

So halfheartedly dragged his eyes over the blurred sentences inside his book as he thought about the past few hours.

They had done it. He still had trouble believing that for a small moment, Hae Soo had been his. He had held her in his arms and had sex with the woman that had perplexed and attracted him for months… and it had been amazing.

She was as soft, as delicious, and as gut-wrenchingly beautiful as he had ever imagined and more. He could still smell the roses on her skin and feel the touch of her hands.

After their first time, So had held her in his arms and kissed her, unwilling to let that moment end. He had expected her to send him away or even fire him on the spot, but she had remained with him, evening having lunch together. So remembered their second time having sex. It had been on the chaise and Soo had again refused to look at him, taking to her hands and knees or riding him with her back turned. Even still, he had seen stars.

Sighing, So read his book, wondering when he could return to Soo's room and see her. He had thought that sleeping with her would rid him of any attachment or emotions he felt towards his employer, but they had only increased. He wanted to hear her laugh; to have sex with her again; to speak with her; to take her burdens from her.

If Hae Soo had been single, he would have dated her in an instant, asking her to be his girlfriend and lover. Instead, she was married and he was just a paramour. But that had not stopped So from buying more condoms before he picked the girls up from school.

He had handed them over to Soo and told her to use them as she wished. So knew that he was offering his body to her for the duration of their stay at the hotel. He knew that she would probably leave him for her husband as soon as they returned to the house. No matter how much he wanted to look at Soo when they had sex, he knew that to look at him would only cause her pain.

After all, Soo had only come to him after finding out her husband had been cheating on her. And now she was cheating on Wook with him. From what So knew about Soo, he knew that their actions would only hurt her.

So pressed his lips into a thin line as he continued to skim his book.

Suddenly, there was a scream and a crash. So's head snapped up as Mi stared at him, her eyes round with fear. The little girl blinked, her mouth wide. "Yoon fell!" she shouted.

So threw his book aside when he heard a wail from behind the bed.

Rushing over to the crevice between the bed and the wall, he reached into the dark corner and extracted a bawling three-year-old, pulling her up and examining her for injuries. So's blood ran cold as he glanced over Yoon's arms, legs, and face. He sighed in relief when he found no marks on her, but bit his cheek when Yoon continued to cry.

Picking the little girl up, So held her in his arms and frowned, trying to remember how he had once quieted his baby brother. So racked his memory for a glimmer of what he had done twenty years ago as Yoon wailed. Before he could conjure up some memory of his abusive mother or crying brother, So remembered watching Soo put Yoon to sleep: how she had patted Yoon's back and gently rocked her, singing a nursery rhyme.

So copied what he had seen. Gently tapping Yoon's back with the flat of his palm, he swayed his hips, trying his best to calm the frightened child. "Sh," he whispered. "Sh, it's alright. You're alright."

He glanced at Mi and saw the little girl standing on the edge of the bed, trying to peek at her little sister. She held onto the hem of her school uniform and leaned over, her wide eyes searching for her sister's face. "Mr. So." Mi opened her arms and So paused to look at the older child.

As Yoon slowly calmed down, So took his hand away from her back and nodded to Mi, picking her up with his free arm. Sighing, he carried both children and watched as Mi took over calming her sister. "Butterfly, butterfly, come fly to me," she sang, her little voice carrying over to Yoon. "Stop crying; you're not hurt."

So listened to the little hiccups Yoon emitted as she clutched onto his shirt. He turned when the door opened and Soo rushed in wearing only a bathrobe. "Who's crying?" she asked. So could see the surprise written across her face when she laid eyes on him holding both of her children.

Soo pressed a hand to her mouth and laughed. She stepped forward and So felt her rest her hands on his arm. "Thank you," she sighed.

He could see her brushing Yoon's hair aside and nodding at her child. "Did you give Mr. So a hard time?" she teased, taking her daughter into her arms. So released Yoon while continuing to carry Mi. He watched as Soo held Yoon against her chest and sat down.

The front of her robe gently opened but Soo only stroked Yoon's hair and kissed where the little girl complained. "Elbow? Ok. Knee? Mhm."

"Mommy, I sang to Yoonie because she was crying!" Mi called. So felt her arms wrap around him and he walked over to where Soo and Yoon were. Oh so quietly, So found himself centered in a warm family moment.

He watched as Yoon stopped crying and giggled when Mi made a face at her. Soo patted her daughter's back and sighed, shaking her head. "Dinosaurs don't cry, remember?" she asked.

"I dinosaur," Yoon nodded. Soo wiped her daughter's eyes and kissed her cheeks. "Mommy!" The girl giggled, trying to push Soo's face away from hers. "No kissies!"

"Yes kissies, Baby Dinosaur!" Soo laughed, smothering her daughter with affection. So smiled and watched Soo play with her youngest. He saw the genuine happiness her children brought her, noting that she smiled widest when she was with her children.

They put the girls to bed together and So stood in front of Soo as she sat in between Yoon and Mi on a bed, reading them a story. The mother animated her voice and roared and meowed as the story progressed, making them laugh. Even So smiled as he listened to Soo read to her children.

Mi fell asleep in Yoon's bed and So carried her to the other one as Soo stepped away from the sleeping girls. When he turned around, he saw Soo closing her bathrobe after it had fallen open again.

He felt warm in that moment, caught beside a woman and her children. It felt almost comically normal for him to be there- as if he was their father.

In silence, they walked to their shared bedroom and So watched Soo enter the bathroom to draw a bath. He sat on the chaise longue, gazing out the window. The glimmering Seoul skyline made him crave a glass of soju and a cigarette.

The sound of running water caught his attention and So heard the door open.

He could hear Hae Soo's light footsteps as she approached him. "How did you become so good with children?" she asked. She remained a meter away from him, but So felt close to her.

Turning, he faced the barely clothed woman. As always, So replied with nothing but the truth. "When I was younger, my mother was… neglectful," he murmured. "I cared for my baby brother when she was unable to, but I couldn't remember what I did to make him stop crying, so I used what I learned watching you."

There was silence and So gazed at Soo as she stepped forward. The white cloth of her robe parted to reveal her chest, and her dark hair was loose around her cheeks. She looked so beautiful in the evening light. So wanted to stare at her forever, saving that moment for an eternity. The way the dim lights in the room shadowed her decolletage and illuminated her face. He could see her nipples just peeking out from her robe, and her skin shone.

"You must have had a very hard life," she said quietly, sitting on the coffee table. Their knees touched and So gave a small chuckle as he nodded.

"Relatively," he replied. "I grew up poor, but I managed to send myself to college and turn myself around." He watched as Soo stared at her bare feet.

"We're from such different backgrounds," she sighed. "I must be despicable to you. Born into a rich family… Never had to work for anything…"

Reaching forward, So placed his hand against Soo's knee and rubbed his thumb against her smooth skin. "I could never hate anything about you," he said.

His eyes trailed up Soo's chest until he met her gaze. Something about her lovely eyes drew him closer and So curled his hand through her hair, leaning to kiss her.

Soo's tongue met his and So tasted her. Her hands glided over his shoulders, her nails leaving light marks in his shirt. They sat there, gently exploring each other's mouths until Soo gasped away from him. "The water," she said abruptly. So sat back as she rushed back into the bathroom and shut the water off. He looked down at his feet and chuckled softly, running the pad of his thumb over his bottom lip.

So heard the water slosh and he knew Soo was in her bath.

Staring out at the vast skyline, So sighed and nodded to the flurries of snow. _I'll only live once_ , he thought, sliding his necktie off. So unbuttoned his shirt and removed his pants. He folded his clothes onto the sofa and took his underwear off before standing and making for the bathroom.

Opening the door, So was greeted by a cloud of fog with mirrors whited out by steam. He walked toward the tub, his feet stepping over cold tile. A robe was discarded on the floor in a crumpled mess.

Soo sat in clear water, her cheek pressed to the outer rim of the tub. So knew she was aware of his presence. He noticed how her eyelashes fluttered with each of his steps even if she did not look at him.

When he slid into the scalding water, So took the spot behind Soo, spreading his legs and placing her between them. Almost immediately, she leaned back against his chest, her eyes closed. So felt her hands on his knees and he gazed over her hair to see her breasts just beneath the steaming surface.

He slid his hand beneath hers and laced his large fingers with her dainty ones, examining how much smaller her hand was compared to his. Unlike his clipped nails, hers were filed into perfect ovals and painted with a clear varnish. Compared to his tan skin and veiny, scarred forearms, there were no protruding veins or any signs of conflict on her milky wrists.

"You're not thinking of going back, are you?" So listened as his voice reverberated over tiles. He felt Soo's hand grasp his tighter.

Soo did not immediately reply and So pressed his lips to her hair, leaning his forehead against the back of her head. "I have to go back to my husband," she said. So wondered what she was feeling, what turmoil her mind might be going through. There she was, sitting in a bath with a different man while talking about her marriage. He ignored the twinge of jealousy that pulled at him when Soo mentioned her husband.

Instead, he leaned forward and used his hand to gently turn Soo's head towards him, his fingertips pressing divots into Soo's cheeks. Slowly, she faced him, her chin tilting upward to meet his gaze. Their lips were a breath away and So watched Soo close her eyes, her lashes fluttering shut. "Kiss me, please," she murmured. So could feel her breath against his lips and he obliged wholeheartedly.

Their wet bodies pressed close and the steam from the water clouded the entire bathroom in a thick fog as So brought Soo closer to him. One long, chaste kiss was followed by gentle pecks and he pressed his lips to Soo's cheeks and eyes, brushing the tip of her nose before returning to her mouth.

He held an arm around her shoulders and kissed her, his tongue entering the delicious cavern of her mouth. When she turned, So felt her chest against his and noticed her pert nipples pressing against his skin.

She wrapped an arm around him, her hand holding the back of his neck. Her other hand found its way to his chest and So reached to take a hold of her bottom, giving it a squeeze as their tongues lazily met between open lips. They had the entire night.

When Soo pulled away, So leaned back and gazed at her. Her head rested against his shoulder and she kissed his cheek and chin, her hand running over his torso. So dipped his hand into the water and gripped the back of Soo's thigh as it draped over his leg. He eyed the water as it stilled around them, lapping at their bodies.

They breathed quietly. Soo's forehead rested against his cheek and So held her close, her fingertips tracing his arms. There was no rush, no need to hurry. If they stayed still, it was almost as if time itself was frozen.

"Soo," So murmured. He felt her burrow closer to him in response, her nose gently poking his throat. "Come to bed with me," he said, twining a strand of her dry hair against his wet fingers. "I want you."

"Why?" she asked. So tilted his head against hers and raised his eyebrows. "Why do you want me? I'm married and have two children. I won't let you look at me when we… have sex. Why don't you leave?"

 _How much did Wook hurt you?_ So wondered. _What did he say to you?_ _How could I ever leave you?_

"I want you because you're resilient and strong. You're a kind mother and a just employer. Why would I leave? I have no reason to."

So felt Soo move away from him. The second her chest left his, he felt a sense of loss and craved her contact again. He followed her out of the tub and watched as she wrapped a towel around her body. So dried himself off as Soo did the same.

Before Soo could leave the bathroom, So tied his towel around his waist and caught her by the wrist, pulling her towards him. "Who said you could walk?" he asked.

Soo yelped in surprise when So picked her up and cradled her in his arms. He chuckled when she began laughing at his antics. Carrying her out of the bathroom So laid Soo onto the newly made bed and moved on top of her, crouching over her flustered form.

Soo laughed and So grinned at her. Her hair was splayed out and So chuckled when she turned away and sneezed. She jerked within his grasp and he nudged his forehead to hers when she returned to her original position, rubbing her nose. Her towel had fallen open at her abrupt movements, revealing pebbled nipples to the cool air. He ran his thumb over one of her peaks, gently toying with the hardening bud. "Cold?" he asked jokingly.

So balanced himself against his elbows and blinked as Soo leaned upward to gently bite his bottom lip. "I can think of ways to get warm," she replied. Her words were vibrations against his lips and So felt his towel slowly unravel as Soo's hand met his waist. "Lay back," she murmured.

He did as commanded. So laid on the bed and leaned against a mountain of pillows, kissing Soo and watching as she moved to lay her head against his stomach so that they laid perpendicular to each other.

Soo's eyes raked over him and So reached to hold her hand. He stroked her knuckles and paused at the skinny ring on her fourth finger. The delicate gold hissed at him. "I've never seen anything as beautiful as your eyes," he said, ignoring the symbol of her marriage.

"I think yours are nicer than mine," Soo replied in a hushed voice. "You always look so deep in thought, but I can never know what you're thinking," she said, her fingers trailing up So's stomach. "Are you sad? Angry? Do you hate? Do you love?"

So did not reply and Soo kissed his hip. "Thank you for dealing with my children," she murmured against his skin. He felt prickles of electricity shoot throughout his body as she nipped and kissed at his waist and upper thigh. Slowly, So realized what Soo meant to do and he sat up, ignoring his semi-erect groin.

"Soo, if you're not comfortable don't-"

"Wang So, I'm not a virgin and you're not being courteous," Soo snapped, lifting her head from his waist. "If a woman offers to blow you, then shut up and lay down."

They stared at each other and So paused. He watched Soo blink in surprise at her own words. Then, they began to laugh.

So curled forward, clutching his waist as his shoulders shook. Beside him, Soo pressed her hands to her face and practically cried. He slung an arm around her and pulled her onto his lap as he tried to stifle his uncontrollable response to her outburst. "Hae Soo, you strange, strange woman," he huffed, hugging her close. He had never felt more attracted to her than when she was laughing with him.

So felt Soo's arms wrap around him and she kissed his ear. "I've been called many things," she replied. "You can't faze me. Lay down."

He felt her pushing him down and So toppled against the pillows, smiling as Soo beamed at him. She pressed a quick peck to his lips and So was content to follow orders and remain still.

She took him in hand and So watched as Soo let her hips sway. She stroked him and averted her gaze, opening her mouth and gently swirling her red tongue over the head of his length. So exhaled, raising a hand to grasp Soo's bottom. He pressed his fingertips into her soft flesh as she took him into her mouth.

This was a new sensation altogether and So grunted as her tongue ran over the sensitive skin of his groin, slowly bringing him up until he was fully erect. He watched as she swayed her hips and kissed him. "Ah, Soo."

The heat of her mouth left him panting and So sat up to reach for Soo's hair. He pulled her short waves back and felt himself smile when he saw her beautiful eyes and lovely features. Pulling back the curtain of hair revealed pale skin, long lashes, and pink lips.

She bobbed her head between his legs and So's hands curled into her hair. Using her hand, she stroked him while sucking at the head of his cock. Her eyes would occasionally glance up and meet his. So relished those fleeting moments when she looked at him.

Slowly, surely, she drew him closer to ruin.

"Soo, I'm- ah, going to cum," he hissed through his gritted teeth. So had no idea how Soo was going to deal with his release, but he could not bring himself to worry about that as he came.

Pressing a hand over his eyes, So felt his entire body shudder with ecstasy. His hips bucked and for a split second, his body was weightless.

When he opened his eyes, stars danced over his vision and So gradually focused on Soo as she pulled away from him, her mouth holding the majority of his release. He could not believe how sexy she looked, naked and sitting beside his legs. Her nails made gentle divots in his thighs and she wiped her lips on the back of her hand.

So's chest rose and fell as he breathed through the last of his climax. He reached over to the bedside table and pulled four tissues from the metal holder. Folding them together, he handed them to Soo.

She accepted them with a nod and So watched her press them to her chin, spitting. After emptying her mouth, she folded the paper basin in her hand and So tossed it into the trash for her, hearing the rustle of plastic and a dull flop as it fell onto their used condoms.

It might have been his own selfishness that made So wish she would have swallowed, but he did not dwell on those thoughts. Instead, he opened his arms and accepted Soo's body against his, kissing her and unmaking the bed so they could lay beneath the sheets.

"Would you like me to return the favor?" he asked as the cool blankets billowed around them. So raised his neck to look at Soo. His hair fell against his eyes and So watched Soo's fingers brush his fringe away. Her palm rested against his cheek and So leaned into her touch. "I can attest that I'm quite good with my mouth," he teased, kissing her wrist.

Soo giggled and shook her head. "I know that," she sighed. "Just hold me, please."

So held Soo against his chest and tangled his legs with hers, fiddling with her hair and dotting her with slow kisses. He loved how much he got to do that. So could not get enough of her sweet, sweet lips. He felt her skin pressed against his and wondered how she was so warm and soft.

Her touch lightly traced over the scars on his body. So felt her fingertips against his chest and arms, lining faded stripes and burns. Years of working as a hitman had left his body littered with the marks. "How did you get this?" she asked.

From where her hand was, So could tell it was from when he had tried to mediate a bar fight when he was working for the gang. It was one of his funnier scars. "I tried to stop a bar fight," he explained. "Some idiot ran at me with a broken bottle and I got nicked."

Soo sighed and smiled, tapping her fingertips against the line. So grinned with her. "I didn't need stitches so it wasn't bad. A shot of whiskey and a cigarette and I was alright," he chuckled. "It only scarred because I didn't put any medication on it."

"This?" Her hand found an old mark on his collarbone. A little circle so small and faint that it was only visible from centimeters away. So had almost forgotten about that mark. "It looks older than your other ones."

He paused.

"My… ah, my mother," he said quietly. So blinked as Soo's fingertip lightly traced the tiny mark. "I was six and I had gotten into a fight with my brother… We were being too loud. He managed to run away before he was punished but... I didn't run fast enough." So heard Soo's sharp inhale. He did not look down for fear of seeing pity in her eyes. He hated seeing anything but happiness on her face.

"What did she do to you?" Soo asked. Her voice wavered, but So still heard her resilience along with something different. He heard the voice she used to speak to her children. The voice that she used to calm them and reassure their safety.

Of the few memories of his childhood that remained, So clearly remembered that day. "She burned me with her cigarette," he murmured. He could smell the burning flesh, hear his six-year-old self screaming. Yo had been nowhere to be found and his mother had squeezed his arm to keep him from squirming, slapping his face and telling him to shut up. She had left him on the cold bathroom floor to repent, wailing in agony… but those memories were over thirty years old and all that remained was a little circle on his collarbone.

Swallowing, So closed his eyes when Soo's lips met the mark. He smiled as she removed her hands from his scars and moved them to the blank areas of his skin- as if touching his old wounds would reopen them. "I'm sorry none of my scars are happy," he said with a small chuckle.

"What scars are ever happy?" Soo asked, sighing. So raised his eyebrows and moved his hand to Soo's thigh, tracing the pale stripes against her hips and the faint marks on her stomach.

"These brought life, didn't they?" he asked. So listened to Soo chuckle. She did not deny his claim. He felt her hand take his and she guided it down to her left ankle. So frowned when he touched a divot on her Achilles tendon.

"I was climbing a tree with my brother, Baek Ah, when I was ten," she said. So smiled as Soo guided his finger up the length of her scar. He touched his forehead against hers and listened as she told her story. "I fell out and broke my ankle. I also scraped most of my skin off and was bleeding and crying. My brother carried me home because I couldn't walk. The maids threw fits and my mother fainted."

Their quiet chuckles intermingled and So felt his eyelids droop, slowly falling to the whims of his exhaustion. He noticed when Soo's touch met his collarbone again and when she kissed his scar once more. "I hope you're not in pain anymore," she murmured.

So wondered just how lucky he might be if he could do this every night with a woman like Hae Soo. To hold her, kiss her, speak with her.

He wanted her to himself, but she was no one's. She would never be his because she belonged to herself. He was just a place for her to rest her feet and heal her wounds before she left to go on her way once more.


	14. Lily

**Thank you so much to my amazing beta, Krysyuy!**

* * *

 **Hae Soo**

Sitting in the back of the car, Soo kept her eyes on Wang So as he drove.

His black suit stretched over his shoulders when he turned the steering wheel. His hair was still tousled from when her hands had combed through the thick locks as his mouth...

Shaking her head, Soo cleared her thoughts and smiled at Yoon as the little girl babbled on. Soo sat between her daughters, having mediated a fight not twenty seconds earlier. Yoon had already forgotten pulling Mi's hair and Mi still pouted from her car seat, refusing to even look at her sister.

Soo leaned back and thought about waking up that morning, warm in Wang So's arms and pressed against his chest. He had woken her with kisses, initiating a sleepy round of morning sex. Lazily, they had fucked their way through the early hours of dawn before dressing and going to wake the children.

From the moment she had put her panties on, Soo knew that whatever she had with So would fade into dust. No matter how much she wanted to stay at the hotel forever, laughing and sleeping with _him_ , real life burned holes through imagination, and Soo knew there would be nothing left between them but a few sunny days of weightless bliss.

It was time to go home.

She could not run from her husband forever. No matter how much she hated him, she could not condemn him for his actions. Yes, she felt betrayed, but she had also cheated. They had both thrown their marriage vows out the window and sullied whatever bond still remained between them.

 _We're both liars aren't we, Hwang Bo Wook?_ She pressed a hand to her chin in thought. _Maybe it's karmic that we married each other._

There was guilt. Anger. Soo blamed her own weakness for kissing Wang So and sleeping with him. They had spent more of the weekend with their clothes off than on. They had bathed together, showered together. Soo had spoken to him about her past and she had learned about his. They had gone through however many condoms had been in the box before locating the sex kit amidst hotel amenities and tearing into that as well.

Yet as much as she wanted to regret the entire weekend and erase it from her memory, she could not. When was the last time she had bathed with Wook? When had she last showered with her husband? Had she ever had a meaningful conversation with him after Yoon's birth?

So had made her feel good. Both mentally and physically, he had helped her forget about her troubles during the time they had spent with each other. She wondered if she had been able to do the same.

"Mrs. Hae." Soo closed her eyes at the title So referred to once more. No more 'Soo.' Now, she was 'Madam' and 'Mrs. Hae'. Their little stint was over and Soo was Wook's wife again.

"Yes?" She looked up at her bodyguard, meeting his beautiful eyes.

"We've arrived."

Soo flinched when the realization hit her. Already, they were pulling into the driveway of her home.

A fresh layer of unperturbed snow covered the front lawn like a thick down blanket. She heard her children gasp and immediately begin pulling at their seat belts, eager to play. Soo looked at the snow and imagined it suffocating her.

The car stopped and the house's front door opened. Soo watched as her husband sauntered out, making for the car. His hair was sleek and styled in its usual side-part, but he was dressed casually in a t-shirt and sweatpants. Soo wondered if her husband might try leaving his hair messy for a day. She tried to remember what Wook had looked like when he was still a young lawyer trying to wrangle a case. She had liked his clean-cut eagerness. Her husband had once been lively even without the assistance of their girls.

"Daddy!" Mi called, beaming as Wook approached them. Soo unbuckled her children and took a deep breath to brace herself. She inhaled slowly and exhaled as fast as she possibly could.

The side door opened and Mi flung herself at Wook, who caught her in his arms. "Hi, Mi!" he called. Soo sat back as Yoon clambered out of her seat and jumped out of the car, hugging Wook's leg. "Yoonie!"

He carried both children, kissing them and greeting them with smiles. "Did you have fun with Mommy?"

Soo stepped out of the car and made herself to smile for the man that carried her children. Wook gave her a nod before turning back towards the house. "Let's get you kiddies in parkas and we'll have a snow day!"

She stood in the cold, her hands shamefully clenched into fists. What had she expected? For Wook to kiss and hug her? Soo bit her bottom lip and shook her head. _Nothing is different,_ she thought. _Nothing. No one cheated. He doesn't know that I know, and he doesn't know that I'm just like him. No one cheated. I'm coming home from my parents' house. We're still happily married and I love my husband very much._

Soo could hear Wang So unloading their luggage, setting the suitcases down onto the pavement. The clack of wheels on concrete brought her back to her senses and she tried to clear her head.

Soo flinched when she felt So's hand discreetly press against the small of her back. "It's cold. Go inside," he said quietly. She looked at him with wide eyes, but her bodyguard was busy organizing their bags, his hands making sure the latches were all closed. He did not look her way, so Soo heeded his words.

The house was warm and Soo was greeted by Chae Ryung who set slippers before her feet. Soo smiled at her assistant and entered her home, somewhat happy to be back in such a familiar place. She could smell something warm from the kitchen- like soup. Somewhere, Soo heard Yoon laughing and Wook growling her name. A maid carried two little parkas downstairs.

Home. She was home.

Soo walked to the living room and saw Wook holding Yoon by the ankles, gently bouncing her. Yoon giggled as her shirt rode up her stomach and Soo approached her daughter, pressing a kiss to Yoon's bare belly. "Mommy don't eat me!" her baby squealed.

Soo watched as Wook raised Yoon higher, saying, "Give Mommy a kiss!" She smiled as Yoon stared at her while upside down. Reaching to hold her daughter's cheeks, Soo pressed a kiss to her Yoon's lips and laughed when Wook flipped their youngest over and hugged her.

"Daddy will protect you," Wook said. When Mi appeared from around the corner, Soo watched her husband pick their first child up as well, embracing both girls. The scene before her reminded her of when So had carried both her children in his arms, trying to sedate one while the other just hugged him for no reason. He had been so kind to her daughters.

She helped Wook put the girls into their parkas. Soo held Yoon's hand and helped the little girl close her coat, guiding her so her hair did not get caught in the zipper.

When both girls were wrapped in thick layers, Soo put beanies onto their heads. "Mommy, Daddy, come on!" Mi called, bouncing with excitement. Beside her, Yoon clapped her mittened hands together and grinned.

Soo and Wook both smiled at their children. "You kids go first," Wook said. "Daddy's guard will be with you." Soo nodded encouragingly as the girls scampered off to go play. Wook's bodyguard walked after them while Chae Ryung dashed behind them.

Their departure left Soo alone with her husband in the living room. Somewhere, she knew Wang So was standing, keeping an eye on them. It made her uncomfortable to be in the same proximity as both men.

She raised her eyebrows when Wook sat down beside her. "You're awfully quiet," he noted. "Was the hotel not enough to quell your anger?"

Soo cringed as he put an arm around her. If Wook already knew about the hotel, then did he know about… "I just needed time alone," she said with as much nonchalance as she could muster.

"Then you should have said so, instead of lying about your parents' house." Wook's voice was quiet but Soo could sense the anger he hid beneath. "I'm your husband- you shouldn't lie to me."

 _Yet you lied to me,_ she thought bitterly. _For years._

Soo looked at her feet as Wook sighed, leaning away from her. "I'm glad you're back," he sighed. Surprise made her blink at Wook as he rested his chin against his hand. "Do you remember when you were first pregnant? I came over to your apartment and you were so surprised to see me you actually fled in terror. I'd never seen anyone leave so quickly." He chuckled softly, touching her abdomen with his knuckles. "When you left on Thursday, I thought you were pregnant."

Soo looked at her husband. She stared at the square jaw she had once loved to kiss. "And what if I am?" she asked. Soo wondered how her husband might react if she were to get pregnant. "What if there's a baby in me? Our baby."

Wook merely shook his head. "I don't want more children, Soo." His hand moved to rest against the flat of her stomach, his fingers tangling in the soft material of her sweater. "Two girls is enough."

Soo's heart fell and she closed her eyes, leaning back against the cushions. Conflicting emotions waged war inside her mind. She did not know if she wanted a baby anymore. In the past, Mi and Yoon had brought Wook closer to her, but Soo did not know if she wanted to be close with her husband again. While one part of her told her to forgive him one more time, the other part told her to let go.

All she wanted was for her girls to be happy.

"Wook," she said quietly. Her husband tilted his chin in her direction. "Do you think our marriage is different? You know, from when we were first married?" Her voice felt weak and Soo wondered if she imagined her husband slipping further and further away from her.

"I think we're very busy people," he replied simply. His answer was too concise for Soo's taste, but she listened as he elaborated. "Marriage isn't about sex and dates, is it? I love you and you love me, and that's all that matters. We have a beautiful family and we're the bond that keeps it together."

 _No_ , Soo wanted to say. _I slept with my bodyguard. I think he cares about me more than you do, and I barely know him. Marriage isn't what's keeping our family together, it's love. I love our girls and I love you, but do you really love me?_

"Maybe," Soo murmured.

"Do you think we're lacking in areas?" Wook asked. Soo felt him sit up and watched as he put his feet on the coffee table. "If you want sex, I'll give it to you. If you want a date night, then put one in my schedule. If you think we need something, just do it."

 _I think we need to be together. We need to go on dates and have sex because we want to- not because we feel obligated to pleasure each other. I think we need to kiss and talk and laugh and cry and... just feel again._

She shrugged and tipped her forehead close to Wook's shirt. When she inhaled, she caught whiffs of cinnamon and vanilla. Soo felt bile rise in her stomach. She knew this scent.

That night she had touched herself while thinking about Wang So… Wook had come to bed smelling like this exact cocktail.

The sickening stench of perfume and her own misactions made her recoil and Wook frowned at her when she gagged. Soo could not help the tears that came to her eyes, but she would be damned if she let them fall. "Are you alright?" Wook asked. He scowled at the hand Soo clamped against her mouth to hide her shock. "Are you actually pregnant?" he demanded, his voice suddenly growing hard. "Hae Soo."

Shaking her head, Soo took a few deep breaths to try to calm herself. "It's… I'm not pregnant, but…" She pointed to Wook's chest. "You smell terrible," she coughed. "Like perfume."

What Soo had not expected was the flash in Wook's eyes. For a moment, she saw anger. Then, he looked worried. "Perfume? Is it yours?"

Soo continued to shake her head. "I think I'd know what my own perfume smells like." She knew it was futile to try to get Wook to confess. Years of cheating and years of politics only made him the better liar, and Soo knew she would confess to her own adultery before he did his.

Wook only shrugged his shoulders. "Well if you hate the smell of detergent that much, then…" Soo raised her eyebrows when her husband removed his shirt, revealing his broad chest and muscular stomach. There were no scars on his body, no marks of suffering or- as Wang So had put it- happiness. His body was devoid of life's emotions.

Soo gasped when Wook pulled her closer. She flinched when her cheek met his shoulder. "Is it unfair that I'm the only one without a shirt?" he asked quietly.

"I'm cold," she immediately replied.

"I can warm you," her husband said. Soo watched his wedding ring glint as he took her hand. Wook's hands were not rough like Wang So's, but smooth and more used to holding a pen than… whatever Wang So had held.

Soo cringed as she tried again to clear her mind of her bodyguard. There was nothing between them anymore. With his looks, So probably had women clamoring for him. His words of affection had hit her and Soo felt a fool for allowing herself to be swayed.

"I think I'm going to lay down for a bit," she murmured. "My head hurts."

Wook seemed miffed at her response, but he moved over so she would be able to rest her head on the other side of the sofa. Soo watched as her husband put his shirt back on. "I'll be with the girls," he muttered.

He walked away without another word, leaving Soo alone. She stared at the far wall and wondered where she had gone wrong. Her eyes flitted over the painting Baek Ah had gifted her when she had graduated from college. A flowery piece done by his own hand. It was Mi's favorite piece of artwork in the house.

She thought about her marriage and its ups and downs, trying to find the break in trust or the loss of romance. Wook was the father of her children; she could not just leave him- not when he was such an important part of their family. She knew she would stay for her girls. They needed their daddy.

Just for her Mi and Yoon, Soo would forgive her husband. She would stay with him and suffer in silence- as she had when he had cheated the first time. Then, they would forget each other's crimes and move on with their lives.

Soo closed her eyes in shame as she realized she still wished Wook would come back to her. She would forgive him time and time again if it meant he would love her and hold her as he had in their earlier days.

* * *

Soo sat at her vanity that evening, patting a cream into her skin. She glanced into the mirror and saw her husband with a towel wrapped around his hips. He shook the water from his hair and put underwear on.

"I'm going to see our Lily Flower," Soo said out of the blue. She watched as he paused, turning to look at her. They met eyes in the mirror. Wook's gaze hardened and Soo almost thought he was glaring at her. She asked the question she always did when she decided to go. "Will you come with me?"

Her husband remained silent and Soo closed her eyes as he looked away to search for his clothes. She wondered if Wook had ever cared. If he even missed their Flower. Her lips moved to silently mouth the word she knew her husband would say. _No_.

With a shake of his head, Wook put a shirt on. "I'm not going."

Soo pulled a fur coat over her pajamas, layering herself and making sure she would not freeze out in the cold. She decided against telling Chae Ryung where she would be going- Soo knew the governess would immediately inform her bodyguard and she was not ready to face him.

Quietly, she slipped out of the house and into the wind, remembering the night Wang So had stood with her. Perhaps that had been the beginning of her affection for him. He had kept her company when she had hit at her loneliest.

Soo walked to the stone shrines she had stacked so carefully, making sure not a single one would topple in even the strongest of winds. She remembered lovingly creating Mi's shrine when she was in her later twenties. As a new mother, Soo had prayed for her child to be successful in life, asking that Mi grow up to be a powerful person in society.

Now, she knew her past self as naive and foolish. Now, she prayed that her babies would be happy and healthy. That was all she wished for. Nothing else mattered.

Soo touched the third shrine- Yoon's shrine- and remembered beginning to stack it when she was newly pregnant. She had begged any god that would listen for their pity and kindness. Soo had prayed for her little dinosaur to be… alive. She had feared the most when she was pregnant with Yoon. She had constantly worried about her baby's life because of the second shrine.

The stack of stones between Mi and Yoon was shorter than the other two, but no less loved. Small and stout, it sat between its sisters, and Soo knelt before the little pile she had stacked. "Hello, Lily Flower," she said to her son. "Mommy's here."

Touching the cold rocks, Soo sighed and smiled at the little place she had dedicated to her second baby. Her Lily Flower.

"Mommy's here," she repeated, tucking her boots beneath herself.

The wind howled and Soo tossed a weed off of the middle shrine. She remembered a time- almost five years ago- when her Lily Flower had been inside her belly, growing and kicking. She remembered a two-year-old Mi marvelling at the flutters and Wook kissing her stomach.

 _"Lily Flower, it's Daddy,"_ he would say, murmuring words of pride and adoration. Wook would always speak to their Lily Flower before bed, sitting beside Soo's stomach and telling the growing bump about his day at work and how beautiful Soo had looked that day. _"You have the most beautiful mommy in the world, did you know that? Her name is Hae Soo and I snatched her off the market. Your daddy used his skills and got your mommy to marry him. And I'm the luckiest man ever. Did you know you have a big sister? Her name is Mi and she loves cats. When she was in Mommy's belly, we called her Princess because Mommy was so sure we were having a girl. I wonder what you'll be. I wonder what we'll call you when we get to meet you."_

Then, one beautiful spring morning, Soo had gone in for her ultrasound. Wook had called her and Soo had laughed into her phone, jokingly asking if he would be okay if their baby was a boy. _"What'll you do if there's a boy you have to contend with for my attention?"_ she had said.

 _"I'll just have to work extra hard to bring you back to me, then."_

Her stomach had ached, but she had thought nothing of it, deciding that her body was still undergoing its changes. Little cramps and pains had become normal to her.

Cherry blossoms had bloomed for the first time that year and on that fine spring day, her Lily Flower's heart had stopped beating. His placenta had detached.

Soo gently stroked the stones beneath her hand. Her baby was not in them. She knew his ashes were buried in the Hae family's burial grounds, beside his great-grandparents. Soo remembered how she had screamed at the man making her son's headstone, shrieking that his name was "Lily Flower." Her brother had held her back from attacking him as the man had honored tradition and written "No Name" in bold Hanja characters before placing "Lily Flower" in tiny script beneath.

On the back of the stone was nothing. Soo had begged to have her name as well as Wook's and Mi's engraved onto the back, but her father had cut her off there. _"You child has nothing, Soo. Tradition dictates that those without names must have blank headstones."_

Her little Lily Flower had become No One. A tiny flutter with no name and no one's names to keep his company.

She had lost her husband after that beautiful spring day. Soo remembered how she had sobbed over the phone, trying to tell Wook that their baby was gone. That inside her, their Lily Flower was silent. He had hung up immediately and she had not seen him for a week. When he returned, he was different.

He had not been present when she had to birth their Lily Flower. Unable to contact her husband, Soo had called Baek Ah and her brother had arrived at the hospital, having cut all of his meetings and obligations to be with her. It had been Baek Ah who had held her hand, crying beside her as she suffered through her induced labor.

When Soo held her baby, she had sobbed while touching his face and cheeks, holding his tiny hands and rubbing his feet. He had only been a little bit smaller than Mi had been when she was born, and just like his sister, he was beautiful. Soo remembered how Baek Ah had kissed her son's head before the doctors took him away, covering his beautiful little face with a blue cloth.

She could recall how furious her parents had been that Wook had not been present for her labor. Baek Ah had shouted for hours on end, calling Wook hundreds of times to bellow insults into his voicemail. But Soo could not care about Wook- not when she had just birthed a baby she would never be able to raise.

After her miscarriage, Wook had gone away inside and Soo had felt the same. They refused to speak to each other and when they did, it was only to discuss Mi. Soo remembered how Wook's mother had saddled the blame onto her when she had tried to vent her anger to her silent husband.

 _"Is it Wook's fault that you lost his son? You were the one that let his child die! You should be ashamed of yourself!"_ Soo remembered how her husband had done nothing to stop his mother's verbal assault on her. A month of listening to her mother-in-law and Soo had left, taking Mi with her.

She remembered spending the worst month of her life hiding her depression and trying to raise her daughter. Rumors swirled of infidelity, but she did not care to listen to them. All she wanted was for her daughter to be safe.

She had only returned because her mother had forced her to either make amends or get a divorce. Soo had no idea if she had even wanted a divorce or not, but she had stayed. Wook was the father of her children, and Mi needed her daddy.

"Oh, darling," Soo sighed as she stared at the little stone tower. She heard the back door of the house slam and Soo knew who jogged towards her. She wondered who had tipped him off. Had he figured it out on his own?

He immediately knelt beside her and Soo ignored him, touching her son's shrine.

They sat in silence as Soo prayed. _Whoever is listening, please help me to make sense of what will happen. Guide me so that I will do what's best for my children. Don't let me do anything that might hurt them._

Soo sighed and gazed at the shrine one last time.

When she stood, Soo looked up at the faint stars and watched her breath curl upwards to the heavens. Behind her, So rose to his feet and she heard him dust himself off. She wondered if he was cold.

Silently, she returned inside, not speaking to her bodyguard for fear of hearing his deep voice. She knew that she would fall apart if he touched her- if he spoke to her. He had impacted her so much, yet she felt as if she meant nothing to him. She wished she knew what to do.

They parted ways and Soo returned to her husband's side, sliding into bed where he was already asleep.

* * *

 **I understand that many of you are frustrated that SoSoo isn't kinda sorta happening at the moment, but please keep in mind that the story has over 50 chapters planned. Slow burn.**

 **Thank you.**


	15. Possess

**Whew! Hello, everyone, I'm back!  
** **Well, life has been hectic as hell. I celebrated my birthday a few weeks ago, took the SAT, and am now taking a vacation in Vietnam :)  
** **But I am back and I will be updating as regularly as I can!**

 **Thank you all for your patience~**

* * *

 **Wang So**

 _Rain poured overhead and he stared down at the puddles that formed around his ratty sneakers. Second-hand shoes his brother had worn before passing them onto him. They had once been white, but now they were gray and brown._

 _He had not showered in four days- perhaps from neglect or pure ignorance. The rain washed over him and he looked out at the crumbling apartment building he called home._

 _Mother was there. Father was there too. Maybe even Yo if he was not busy collecting bottles and cans to take to the recycling center for some extra change._

 _He rubbed the back of his arm, feeling the fresh bruises his mother had given him the night before. He had been stupid enough to put his shoes on the wrong shelf and she had hit him with the shoehorn._

 _When he turned around, he could see the twinkling lights of the city that glimmered in the distance. He remembered venturing into the city with Yo, holding his brother's hand and walking through the marvelous smells and sights. There had been so many things to see and so many people dressed in bright colors… a sport car had even passed by them._

 _He had begged Yo to go into a shoe store to just look at the sneakers on display, but Yo had denied him. "It's not good to look at things you can't have," his brother had snapped._

 _Another turn and he was back, staring at the building where his parents were. He wanted to leave. He wanted to go away._

So's head jerked up and he sniffed, waking from his brief nap. He looked out the window as rain fell over the front lawn, denting the pillow of snow that coated the wilted grass.

When he looked to his left, he saw Soo watching him. Caught, she quickly turned away and returned to her book, her cheeks staining pink. Her hair fell over her cheeks and So wished he could tuck her hair aside so he could look at her face.

She wore a white sweater and jeans. Her hair was loose and she read over a book about historical makeup. So watched as she turned the page, the sound of paper cutting through the silence.

His brother's parting logic rang in his mind and So swallowed. _Don't look at her. She's not yours. Don't look at her._ He tried to force his eyes away from Hae Soo as she pressed the tip of her thumb to her lips, tapping against her pale lipstick.

He could not stop thinking about the weekend. To have been with someone he actually felt for… to have slept with her and kissed her… So wondered if it had even been real. If she had actually felt the way he had. He had offered himself to her in body, but he wished she would take more. He wanted her to take him as she wished. For her to become his and for himself to become hers.

In the beginning, he had questioned if he had just imagined the entire weekend.

He had wondered if he was becoming delusional. Was he relapsing from a lack of nicotine? Had a couple months of abstinence led him to completely imagine having sex with his employer?

A cigarette outside of the Hwang Bo house in the middle of the night and an unsuccessful hour of watching porn had proven that he was not crazy. Then, when So unpacked his bag, he remembered sitting back in surprise as his hands unearthed a black pair of panties with a French tag. _Not crazy… but definitely fucked._

"Mr. Wang." So's head snapped up at the sound of Soo's melodic voice.

"Yes?" he asked. He looked at Soo but she did not turn back to him.

He waited for her to say something, but Soo remained still. She took her bottom lip between her teeth as if she regretted calling his name. So watched as she scraped the lipstick off of her skin with her incisors. "I- um- it's nothing." She shook her head and flinched away from him.

He did not have to look around to know none of the staff were around. Chae Ryung was out running errands, the maids were scattered around the house, and Wook's bodyguard was with Wook. So's occupation as a hitman had left him trained in the art of listening and tracking.

The doors of the sitting room were closed and the curtains drawn. They were entirely secluded.

He stood and silently told his brother to go fuck himself.

So approached and knelt in front of Hae Soo the way he had at the hotel. Overstepping his boundaries as a bodyguard, he placed his hands on her knees. He tilted his head to the side and looked past the hair that hid her face.

This time, Soo met his eyes and So felt his gaze soften when he looked at her. Reaching upward, he tucked her hair behind her ear, allowing his fingertips to linger against her soft skin. He brushed his thumb over her cheek, noticing a light pink powder rub onto it. Soo seemed not to remember what she was going to say.

His hand cradled her chin and Soo closed her eyes. Her cheek pressed closer to his palm and So began to rise, dipping his knee against the cushion. He held his other hand against her face and gazed down at her, towering over her sitting form.

So breathed deeply, wanting nothing more than to kiss the woman before him. He wanted to hold her in his arms and inhale the rosy perfume that clung to her skin. He had only had her for a weekend, yet he was addicted. He wanted more and more.

Slowly, he let himself dip lower and lower towards her. Soo made no move to stop him.

"May I kiss you… Mrs. Hae?" he whispered, his face only a breath away from hers.

He could hear her shallow breathing and feel her racing pulse beneath his middle finger. She wanted him. Perhaps as much as he wanted her.

Their foreheads touched and Soo's lips parted.

"Soo," she breathed, her breath curling against his cheek. Her voice was so low that Soo could barely hear her response. "My name is Soo."

Smiling, he crouched lower.

She tasted sweet and her lips met his in a rush of passion. So gripped Soo's jaw as her hand held his wrist. Their mouths opened and So pressed further, his tongue meeting Soo's. He felt her moan vibrate against his lips and he knelt closer, leaning Soo back against the seat. He pressed a hand to her hip, toying with the waistband of her jeans.

"So." She pulled away from him. He opened his eyes as Soo's palms pressed against his chest, gently pushing him away. "We can't- not in my home."

His chest rose and fell with rapid breaths and Soo seemed just as disheveled. Her hands remained against his chest and So grasped one of her palms, moving it to where his heart hammered. "No one is near us," he said. _No one is cleaning this wing of the house. Your husband is away and your assistant if probably picking the children up right now. You're allowed to be as loud as you want._

He could feel how Soo's fingers gripped his shirt, her nails pressing against his heart. Soo looked away from him and back at the doors. So pressed his lips to her cheek, returning her attention to him. "I still haven't paid you back for that blowjob." He kissed her throat.

Soo huffed and So easily toppled her against the sofa, crouching over her. "This room is completely pervious to noise-"

"I don't mind if you moan," So said against her lips. "In fact I highly encourage it." He chuckled when Soo gave him an exasperated look. "I bet you whatever you want that you won't be able to be silent," he teased. "Not when I've got you."

So watched as Soo scoffed at his challenge. She seemed to think it an easy feat to beat him and So grinned when Soo nodded. "I accept that bet." Her hands curled behind his neck, and So felt himself being pulled down.

They kissed again and So placed his hands beneath Soo's sweater, untucking her camisole and pressing his hands to her warm skin. Nipping her bottom lip, So allowed his hands to ride up her body, cupping her breasts through her bra. Soo closed her eyes and he kissed her again, taking her lips and stealing her breathless sighs. His heart pounded and each second felt too fast. He wanted their embrace last as long as possible.

So pulled the cups of her bra down and gently teased the peaks of her breasts beneath her clothes, swiping his thumb over her nipples and feeling them harden. Her hands lowered to his cheeks and So felt Soo's cool fingertips against his face as they kissed. "I want to kiss more of you," he murmured against her lips. "Every part of you. Every little bit of your skin."

Soo sent a fearful glance toward the doors and So took that opportunity to lightly bite her throat and chin. His hands continued to grasp her breasts and he listened to Soo's surprised squeak when he abruptly pinched her nipples. Her mouth opened and her cheeks stained red as she pressed her hand to her mouth. So chuckled when she slapped his arm, enduring the soft blow. "I could have made a noise!" she half-whispered half-shouted at him.

"You did," he said, nuzzling into the crevice between her shoulder and neck. Licking the line from her collar to her chin, he rose to nibble on her earlobe, rolling the diamond in her ear against his tongue.

Soo pressed her hands to her face and So kissed the backs of her knuckles. "I win, Hae Soo." He chuckled at her annoyed expression.

"You cheated."

"There were no rules, and I'll be cashing my prize in right now."

"Fine, fine, what do you want?" Soo asked. She peeked through the cracks of her fingers and So met her wide eyes.

He moved her hands away from her face before kissing her again. What he wanted the most was to fuck her right there. To tear her clothes off and make her scream his name. He wanted to hear her calling out to him as he made her his… but he knew she did not want that- not while they were so susceptible to being caught. Risk was not in this woman's vocabulary.

Pecking the tip of Soo's nose, So smirked at her. "I want to eat you out," he said. "As recompense for your stellar job with me."

Soo gave him a hard look and So smiled down at her.

Lifting her shirt, So bared Soo's stomach and licked her skin, letting his tongue mark swirls against her. She tasted vaguely of lotion and something sweet. The tantalizing scent of roses curled around him and So steadied himself as Soo exhaled slowly. He held back from using his teeth or from sucking too hard. Though he would have loved to see red and purple marks of his affection on her, he knew she would not.

He took one of her nipples in his mouth, flicking the peak with his tongue and gently sucking on the tip. He glanced up at Soo as her hand ruffled through his hair, her chin tilted back.

 _She's still not looking at me._

He pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind.

Continuing to kiss Soo's breasts, he moved his hands to the button of her jeans, pulling at the clasp and inching her pants down. So could feel his own erection against his slacks, but he focused on Hae Soo, relishing her little chirps and muffled pleasure. He loved her reactions- the way she blushed and tried to remain quiet, ultimately failing. Her hand covered her lips and she blushed roses against her cheeks.

Removing his mouth from her breasts, So began tracing open-mouthed kisses against her torso, making his way down. He pulled Soo's pants down to her ankles and pressed his nose to her panties, inhaling her scent. The material was practically drenched and So lowered the flimsy covering, baring Soo from chest down. "Look how excited you are," he said against her stomach.

"Please keep going," she whispered. So wondered if she knew how utterly sexy she looked, splayed against the couch, blushing and panting. Her hair was ink against the white leather, her flushed face a flower, and her body its stem. Her nails scraped against the leather sofa while her ankles were bound by her bunched jeans.

He wanted her.

Ever dutiful, So continued. He kissed her pelvic bones, using his tongue to trace the lines of her hips. Soo arched towards him and So moved towards her core.

He lifted Soo's legs and rested himself between her knees, feeling her ankles cross behind his back. He pressed his fingers to her thighs, spreading them so he could see her sex.

He kissed her, using his tongue to lap at the honey she offered. Flicking at her clitoris, he cleaned her pulsing heat with his mouth, listening to her moan. "I remember you saying you weren't going to make a noise," he murmured, his voice edged with a laugh.

Sliding his tongue forward, he dipped into her slit, keeping his eyes on Soo as her hand met his shoulder and her nails curled against his jacket. He touched against where he knew she liked, flicking his tongue forward and making her gasp. His hand moved away from her thigh and up her body. So pressed his fingertips against her lips and Soo opened her mouth, allowing So to coat his middle and ring finger with her saliva.

Once they were sufficiently lubricated, he pulled his fingers away.

He kissed the outer lips of her sex as he inserted a digit into her, curling it upwards and watching her react. He touched his lips to her apex kissing her as he inserted another.

So hummed softly, smirking when Soo writhed. He could see her resolve cracking. "You like that," he said.

"Again," Soo whimpered. "I'm close- again- please."

Chuckling, So nodded. "As my lady commands." Pressing his lips to her once more, So gently hummed, holding Soo's thigh down as her hips bucked. His fingers curled inside of her and he watched Soo's hands move to her breasts.

When she came, So glanced up to see Soo grabbing one of the throw pillows and smothering her moans as her back arched and her body quaked. He smiled at her actions, slowly helping her through the shaking finale of her orgasm. She was so beautiful.

So could not help but watch as she came onto his hand, her pleasure only further arousing him. Soo's eyes closed and her mouth opened in a silent cry.

So removed himself from between Soo's legs as she held a hand against her mouth and panted. He flinched when his own arousal rubbed against the back of his zipper but So brought his fingers to his lips and quietly licked the remnants of Soo's orgasm.

He wiped his mouth against the inside of his wrist before gazing down at Soo and meeting eyes with her. She sat up and raised her bra to its former position, lowering her camisole, and smoothing her sweater. So sat by as Soo put her panties back in their spot and quickly pulled her jeans up, buttoning them.

So could still see the way her chest rose and fell and he waited for her to say something. She glanced around to make sure no one was near, but So knew they were still alone. The maids were probably on their break by then.

Soo turned towards him and So sat back as she wordlessly took his necktie, adjusting the pin and placing it back into his jacket. He felt her hands brush over his shirt and chest, smoothing the wrinkles and creases off of his shirt and jacket. Her wedding ring glinted, a delicate, gold encased ring of diamonds sparkling in the midday sunlight.

 _What are you thinking about?_ So thought as he looked down at Soo. Her eyebrows creased and she pulled at his jacket to undo any extra flaws. _Should I have done that? I should have left you to go back to your normal married life. Will you ever look at me the way I look at you?_

Resting his knuckles beneath Soo's chin, So raised her face so she would look at him. Soo's beautiful gaze met his and So pressed his lips to her cheek. "Excuse me," he said. "I have to go deal with something."

Soo only nodded and So moved to leave, continuously watching her for a reaction. He hoped she realized how much their weekend had affected him- how she had affected him. He wanted nothing more than the have her again. He wanted to hold her and kiss her and fuck her until her nails scraped down her spine and her lips silently formed his name.

He shuffled into the hallway, pressing a hand to his eyes as he leaned against the doors that closed behind him. His heart beat erratically and his clammy palms were only proof of how much he wanted her.

He stalked off towards the servant's quarters to manage his erection.

* * *

When night fell, So stood by the front door as Wook returned home from work. He watched as the politician entered the house and scooped his children into his arms, spinning the girls around and kissing their cheeks. Wook's blue jacket flapped around his white shirt as Mi and Yoon hugged their father.

"And where is your mother?" Wook asked the girls as they chattered about their days.

"I'm here." So turned when he heard Soo's voice.

For a second, it seemed as if she was walking towards him. So could see the bitterness in her smile and when she turned toward her husband, he watched her offer her cheek before he could kiss her lips. Wook planted a firm peck to her skin before frowning at her. "I need kisses from all three of my girls and I've yet to get one from my favorite one," he chided. "Daddy had a very hard day."

So scoffed when Mi kissed Wook's cheek. "There, Daddy! Daddy's favorite!"

Wook laughed before nodding at his daughter. So wondered if Soo would kiss Wook. With the pleasure she had allowed So to provide and the appearance of her underwear, he had reason to believe that she might want to be with him. Perhaps just for pleasure or for emotional support- yet he felt hope. He tilted his head as Soo refused to look anywhere but at Yoon's hair.

Watching as Soo combed through her youngest's straight hair, So bit the inside of his cheek when Wook set the girls down and told them to prepare for dinner. Mi and Yoon scampered off in search of Chae Ryung.

"Nanny!" they shouted.

Soo moved to follow them and So ground his teeth when Wook pulled her back by the wrist and wrapped her in his arms. He could see her palms pressed against Wook's chest, trying to push him away. "Wook," she said, turning her head. So knew it was not in his place to intervene- not when nothing illegal was happening.

"Hae Soo, when was the last time you kissed me?" Wook asked. So's hand clenched into a fist. He knew Wook and Soo only kissed twice per day, but the very thought left a sour taste in his mouth.

 _Stop it_ , he told himself. _You don't own her. She's not yours. She's married. You're a side piece. You're nothing. She's married._

So stood by as Soo cleared her throat. He breathed deeply as Wook pressed his lips to Soo's, causing her eyes to widen in surprise. So looked away.

When he returned his gaze to the couple, Wook kept an arm around Soo as he led her towards their bedroom. "Ah, I'm so hungry. I barely had lunch because my day was packed with meetings. What's on the menu?"

"Soy sauce crabs and spicy rockfish stew," So heard Soo say. He knew the cook had been marinating the crabs for days, setting a few aside for the other staff to enjoy as well.

Wook barked a laugh and So sighed, stepping away from the foyer. He passed by Mi and Yoon as they washed their hands before dinner. "Is it prudent to give our children soy sauce crabs?" Wook asked. "Yoon might choke on the shells and I'm pretty sure soy sauce can't be washed out of clothes."

"The girls are having duck bulgogi and leftover seaweed soup."

Neither Wook nor Soo bothered to close their bedroom door and So caught a glimpse of Soo folding Wook's button down as he pulled a t-shirt on, unclasping his gold watch.

There was no other contact between the two and they exited the bedroom together, making their way to the dining room. So continued to stand in the hallway as Soo passed by.

He watched as Wook sat at the head of the table while Soo took his right and Mi took his left, sitting in her booster seat so she could see over the large table. Yoon sat in a highchair between her parents.

So turned away as the family began to eat, retreating to the servants' quarters. His workday was over. There was no way for him to serve Hae Soo anymore unless she wished to take an evening walk.

Sitting at his desk, So decided against dinner and stared at his suitcase. His eyes remained locked onto the wad of black lace that still sat in the trunk. He wondered if it meant anything at all. If he meant anything at all.

 _She's married, you fool. Of course you don't mean anything. Yo was right. You should never look at things you can't have._


	16. Rallentando

**Hwang Bo Wook**

Saturday morning began as it always did: with a single round of morning sex with Soo.

She felt good, but Wook knew there was someone better. He closed his eyes as he kissed his wife, imagining long hair and nails that raked over his back. His Si Yeon was more muscular than the soft, pale exterior of his wife. Si Yeon's lips were fuller and her kisses deeper.

It took all of his control not to moan her name.

Instead, he said his wife's name. "Soo," he groaned, pressing his forehead to hers. She seemed to be responding less than usual. After seven years, he thought he knew all of his wife's reactions, but that day, she seemed different. Her moans were the same as always, but her eyes scrutinized him with a keenness he had never seen during sex. So Wook took positions where Soo could not stare into his soul and closed his eyes.

He released inside her and his little wife's hands curled through his hair. Kissing her again, he tried to quiet the moans that did not belong to whom he imagined. Soo's voice was softer than Si Yeon's.

When he opened his eyes, it was his wife beneath him, her cheeks flushed pink. He kissed the forehead of the woman he loved- of the mother of his darlings.

Leaning close, he pressed his lips to her cheek and chin, moving off of her. Wook wrapped his arms around his wife and held her close. Soo panted beside him and he curled his body around hers. "You're still on birth control, right?" He knew his question was inopportune to ask after sex, but he needed to know. Wook had no plans to have any more children with Soo and they had not used a condom.

She scoffed and Wook frowned when she pushed away from him. "Soo," he called, watching her step out of bed. Her inner thighs were slick with his cum and she walked into the bathroom, slamming the door shut. Wook heard the shower begin to run.

He cleaned himself off with tissues and the makeup removing wipes he found on Soo's vanity. They did the job of making him seem less sweaty and he tossed them into her little trash bin. He dressed in a shirt, sweater, and jeans. Covering his bare feet with socks, he rubbed his face before sitting down at Soo's vanity, heaving a sigh. They had some time before his parents arrived.

Soo stepped out of the bathroom and Wook watched as she dried herself. She pulled her underwear on and stood beside him to access her daily routine. She did not tell him to move so Wook continued to sit, watching his wife as she wiped her face with something clear, patted on something opaque, and dabbed something onto her eyelids.

They both paused when the bedroom door slammed open.

Turning, Wook only caught a glimpse of messy hair before a small blur leaped onto his lap. His arms caught the tiny body that crashed into his as she screamed, "Daddy!" The little girl giggled and butted her head against Wook's stomach, her small hands gripping his sweater.

"Yoon!" He laughed and greeted his daughter. "You're up awfully early."

His youngest beamed and sat back, pointing to Soo. "Mommy's undies," she giggled as Wook kissed the crown of her head.

He felt Soo beside him, her hand on his shoulder. "Good morning, baby," she cooed, kissing Yoon's forehead. "Ready to spend the weekend with Grandma and Grandpa?" Their daughter laughed before bouncing on Wook's lap. Yoon fiddled with her yellow pajamas as Mi barrelled into the room, holding her fist out.

"My tooth!" she shouted.

Wook watched as his oldest collided with Soo's legs before opening her fist and presenting a little white canine. Soo marveled at the tooth, hugging their daughter and peppering her face with kisses. "Look how grown up you are! One more tooth for the birds!"

Wook pulled his girls into his arms and held Soo by the waist, hugging Mi and giving her a kiss. "My baby's all grown up now," he sighed, patting his daughter's hair.

"No, she's not!" Yoon pouted. "I'm grown up too! Me too!"

Laughing, Wook nodded, patting the youngest's back. "You're big too," he assured her.

"We'll throw your tooth onto the roof and then have breakfast," Soo decided. She moved away from his grasp and Wook let her go. "Mommy needs to get dressed if we're going to go outside."

Wook took the children as Soo left to dress. Holding them in his arms, he ignored his assistant and Chae Ryung as they offered the day's mostly blank itinerary. He passed by the bodyguards as they awaited orders and instead took his girls to the sitting room, tossing them onto the sofa and laughing when they squealed in surprise.

He sat down beside them and gently grasped Mi's chin, saying "open," and looking at the gaping hole where her tooth had once been. "How'd it even fall out?" he asked, shifting his shoulders as Yoon climbed on top of them. He let her fall off of him, catching her in his arms and setting the giggling toddler aside.

"I was brushing my teeth and I spitted and there was blood and then I saw my tooth," Mi proudly explained, unwilling to relinquish her baby tooth. Wook nodded and smirked, pulling his daughter onto his lap and hugging her close.

"Well, I'm glad you were able to do it yourself," he said, stroking her hair. He looked at his darling baby girl and wondered how she had grown so much. Wook remembered a time when Mi had been a baby, crawling on top of him and tapping her chubby fists against his chest. "When Daddy was little, Grandma tied my wiggly teeth with a string and then smacked my forehead." He softly tapped Mi's forehead as Yoon continued to wriggle around. "And my tooth fell out."

They watched cartoons until Soo appeared. Dressed in leggings and one of his sweatshirts, he thought she looked especially tiny under the bulk of his clothing. Wook watched as she picked Yoon up and swung their daughter around. "Hwang Bo Yoon! Your sister lost a tooth but you're not allowed to lose any teeth, you hear?" Soo declared, resting Yoon against her hip.

The little girl only giggled and hugged Soo's neck. "Mommy I wanna lost tooth!"

Wook snorted when Soo stuck her tongue out and blew a raspberry at their youngest. "You're not allowed to grow up. Baby Dinosaur has to stay a peanut forever! Yoonie has to be Mommy's little baby forever and ever."

"Am I the only one that's hungry?" Wook asked, feeling his stomach grumble. "Let's throw Mi's tooth onto the roof and eat already."

The girls were the first to dart off towards where they knew Chae Ryung would be, asking for their coats. Wook glanced at Soo as she remained behind. Once the girls were gone, the atmosphere of the room shifted instantly. Smiles faded and past altercations rose once more as the air grew cold. "You never answered my question," he stated.

His wife groaned before throwing her hands up. "I'm still on the fucking pill! Are you happy?" she snapped. Wook narrowed his eyes at her.

"Careful, Soo," he said, standing. He towered over his petite wife; her small form could easily hide behind his body.

But she did not cower beneath him. Instead, she held her chin high and stared up at him. He knew he had liked her spunky defiance, but now, it felt spiteful. "The girls might hear."

"We both know they're out of earshot," she retorted.

They stared each other down and Wook shook his head. "Come on, then. Wouldn't want to miss out on our daughter's milestone." The bodyguards stood by the door as they left the room and Wook moved past them, letting Soo follow behind.

Neither he nor Soo wore coats as they stepped out into the snow with their girls, marring the perfect pillow of frost that had settled overnight.

Crossing his arms against the cold, Wook glanced over at Soo who did the same. He accepted Mi's tooth from her outstretched palm. "Alright, princess," he said, looking down at his daughter. "Make a wish!"

Mi clasped her hands together and murmured something so low that Wook could not hear any of it. Once her wish was complete, Wook chucked the tooth high into the air and watched the tiny speck land on the roof. It disappeared against the dark giwa tiles that lined the two-story house.

"Yay!" Soo cheered, kneeling to give Mi a hug. Wook watched his wife wrap their eldest in her arms and rock her back and forth. "Oh, you're such a big girl now!"

They had breakfast immediately afterwards, moving into the dining room for pastries and fruit. The girls were given mugs of warm milk while Soo had her morning cappuccino. Wook scanned over the more important headlines of the day while eating his breakfast. He glanced up from his newspaper when Yoon complained about her danish being smaller than Mi's.

Sipping his coffee, he let Soo handle the mess their daughter made.

They all paused at the sound of the front door opening. Wook heard the rustle of paper as Soo pushed her plate aside before pulling Yoon into her arms. "I wonder who that could be?" she asked quietly. Their daughter fiddled with Soo's shirt, pulling at the collar and crumpling the cloth in her little hands. The thick material fell past Soo's hips and Wook remembered a time when he thought there was nothing sexier than Soo in his clothing. Now, she just looked weighed down.

"Where are my darling grandbabies?" A voice rang in the hallway and Wook stood as his mother entered the living room. She beamed and he leaned down to kiss her cheek.

"Hello, Mother," he smiled. Wook nodded to his father as well. "Father."

His parents seemed no different than they were last week. Wook watched as his wife awkwardly greeted his mother, accepting a tense hug before being forced to relinquish Yoon to the older woman. "Hello, Yoon!"

"Gramma!" Yoon laughed, holding her hands up. "Mi's tooth falled!"

"Mi lost her tooth?" his mother corrected the toddler. She turned to the firstborn and Wook chuckled when his daughter held his hand. He never knew why she was still shy around her grandmother. Patting Mi's shoulder, Wook smiled down at her.

"She did," he replied, noting how hard Mi clutched at his leg. He wished his baby would be just a little bit braver, but he accepted that she was shy. She was his perfect little girl. There was nothing that could dim the light he saw when he looked at his children.

He watched as Soo greeted his father with a smile. He wondered why, after seven years of marriage, her smiles still seemed so forced. He wrapped an arm around his wife's waist, making sure to only let his hand hover against her skin.

"Oh how wonderful," Wook heard his mother say as she examined Mi's open mouth. When she released his daughter, Wook watched Mi move to hold Soo's hand. His mother handed her coat off to one of the maids and Wook cleared his throat. Before he could offer his parents a seat or breakfast, his mother began to speak. "What are you wearing, dear?" she asked Soo. "Have you run out of clothes? Isn't that Wook's college hoodie?"

Wook felt his wife stiffen beside him, but Soo only shrugged. He knew she was used to his mother's blunt remarks. They were well-meant and he hoped she did not still take them to heart. "I think we all deserve to relax a bit on the weekend," Soo said sweetly. Wook smiled as his mother sniffed and tossed her hair over her shoulder.

It took twenty minutes for Mi and Yoon to get ready for their weekend with their grandparents. Wook stood by as Soo made sure the girls were warmly packed into their parkas and that each had their phone numbers as well as Chae Ryung's work number written on the tag of their jackets. "Got everything?" she asked. The girls nodded and Wook watched Soo kiss their children goodbye. "Be good for Grandma and Grandpa. No fighting. Asleep by bedtime and always remember that safety comes before anything. Don't play too hard."

"Soo, you're smothering them," Wook murmured to his wife. He accepted a kiss from each daughter before patting their heads and sending them off.

And like that, the girls were gone for the weekend. He and Soo would be alone in the house. Wook looked at his wife as his parents' car left the driveway. "I hope they'll be okay," she whispered, her hands pressed to her heart. Wook wondered what she was so nervous about.

"Have some faith in my parents, Soo," he scoffed. "It's not the first time they've had the kids and I'm sure it'll be fine."

They sat together in the sitting room staring at nothing and speaking quietly. Wook could not remember the last time they had had a meaningful conversation. "I had a shitty week at work," he sighed, trying to speak to his wife. He could feel the distance between them growing, but he could not tell why. As far as he knew, she had no idea of his infidelity and they were still happy together. "Bills getting vetoed, Wang Yo going on the news and calling me a liar. As if his policies are any better."

When he closed his eyes, it was not Soo sitting beside him, but someone else. Someone with longer hair and a more assertive voice. Someone who had bested him in debate class and then had sex with him for hours on end.

"My father's angry," Soo murmured. Wook's eyes snapped open and he frowned at his wife as she looked away from him. "He doesn't like that the tax on imports didn't pass."

Sighing, Wook shook his head. "Tell your father I did what I could but was overridden by the president. Nothing I can do about that." He turned towards the woman beside him, gathering her body language. Years of practice had left him with an innate set of skills to weed out liars and, right then, his wife was acting strangely. "Are you alright?" he asked. "You've been acting like I killed someone ever since you got back from the hotel."

Soo only shook her head, her dark hair swinging like a curtain in the wind. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"How about you flinching when I tried to kiss you yesterday."

He stared at his wife as she fiddled with a stray thread on his sweatshirt. "Do you regret our lack of sex?" he asked. "No, that's not it; you were happy to be beneath me this morning. I told you to schedule anything you wanted." He had given her so many options to choose from. If she wanted to go out for a movie, dinner, or anything, he would take her so long as it was scheduled.

"I…" Soo seemed conflicted over her words and Wook slowly blinked as she pressed a hand to her chest again. She was nervous. "I just feel like you're not here anymore. I feel like I don't have you." _This again_ , Wook thought. _Hae Soo, I fight politicians for a living and now I have to fight my wife? Where are these outbursts coming from?_ "I want to spend time with you and I want our marriage to be like when we had Mi. Do you remember how happy we were? We didn't have anyone but ourselves and we were so happy-"

"I wasbreaking my back to work for your father and you want to be like that again?" he asked with a shake of his head. Wook regarded his wife as she held her hand to her heart. "You want to go back to when I was overworked just because we were in our honeymoon phase then?"

"Don't act like it's the worst suggestion," Soo groaned. "We used to be a team. We had Mi and we were learning-"

Wook tilted his head back, exasperated. This was why he did not enjoy speaking with his wife; whenever they did, they fought. "We've already learned how to raise our girls and now they're growing fine. I have an even better job and you're doing well at work. Soo, we have everything and now you want to go back."

Soo remained rooted to her spot as he addressed her with a bewildered expression. Standing, he sighed and pulled at his shirt, trying to cool himself off. Wook knew he could not get angry over every little thing, but Soo's naivete made him want to tear his hair out. "I just wish we loved each other like we did years ago," she pleaded. Wook could not look at his wife.

"Fuck..." he scoffed, pressing his hands over his eyes. Darkness enshrouded him and he stayed that way, unwilling to look at the woman in his company. "When, Soo? When do you want to go back to? When you lost our baby? When I used to cheat?" _No,_ he stopped himself. _You're cheating now. Don't remind her about the past._

He turned as the door slammed open, but Soo was already leaving the room. Wook felt his blood boil at the sight of her turning tail. "Leave!" he shouted after his wife. He knew where she was going- where she always went after they fought. "Isn't that what you're good at?! We fight and you go to your little shrines as if something's out there!

"He's dead!" Wook's voice cracked beneath his own raging emotions, and he unwillingly unearthed dead memories that made his chest ache and hands clench. But he could only continue. "He's not coming back! Our baby is buried and he's not coming back!"

He heard a sob from the hallway and Wook fell onto the sofa, holding his head in his hands. His own heart throbbed as he reburied old memories of that baby- the only one that he and Soo had intentionally tried to make. Their little Lily. Their Flower.

The back door slammed so hard that windows around the house rattled.

Wook knew that he was wrong to say those words. He knew she had gone out without a coat. He regretted his actions, but he did not chase after his stubborn wife. Soo would come back when she got cold.

He calmed himself with long breaths and by rubbing his aching temples. He heard the back door open and gently close. That might have been Soo, but he knew she would not return immediately; she was too proud. He assumed it was her bodyguard going to check on her.

Breathing as deeply as he could, Wook steadied himself and knew that he would have to apologize. He had not meant to reopen old wounds. Too used to shouting at political foes, he had crossed a line and he knew that his wife would be in pain. This was his fault.

Wook stood by the back door when the bodyguard managed to convince his wife back inside.

He and Soo met eyes and Wook knew she had been crying. "Soo," he murmured, gazing down at her. There was snow in her hair and her lips were blue, her hands quivering from the cold. He noticed her bodyguard standing behind her like an ominous shadow; an angry guard dog awaiting its master's command. "I'm sorry," he said to her, opening his hands. Wook stepped towards his wife as she wiped her eyes. "I shouldn't have said that to you… I'm sorry."

She let him put his arms around her and Wook held his icy wife as she shivered. He hugged her by the door, pressing his chin to her hair and warming her.

Soo released a shuddering breath and Wook listened when she began to speak. "D-Do you know how much I suffered after we lost our Lily Flower?" she asked, her voice hoarse and quaking from the cold.

"Soo," Wook murmured. He tried to console her, rubbing her arms and warming her. "I kno-"

"I wanted to die," she whispered. Wook paused and looked down at his wife, frowning at her. He knew she had been sad and angry, but not to that extent...

"What are you talking about?"

He felt her wipe her eyes. Soo freed herself from his grasp and Wook stood face-to-face with his wife. Her disheveled hair and too-big sweatshirt made her look tiny and pitiful. "I had to give birth to him. You weren't there. I had to go through all of that pain for there to be nothing at the end. I got to hold our Lily Flower but that was it. He was so beautiful that I thought he was alive."

Wook paused as his wife continued, tears streaming from her eyes. "He looked just like you and for a moment, I was so happy. But then they took him away and didn't bring him back." Soo pressed a hand to her mouth as she cried. "He was so beautiful that I wanted to be with him. I wanted my baby but he was… gone."

He reached to hold her shoulder, but Soo glared at him. Wook stopped at the gleaming betrayal in her eyes. He remembered abandoning his wife after she had called to tell him their baby was dead. Something inside had broken that day, and Wook had gone drinking, unable to wrap his mind around the idea that his child was dead. Nothing had made sense and nothing felt right. He had met one of his old college girlfriends at the bar and she had comforted him in his agony, drinking with him until he could not walk or think or even remember his name. Si Yeon had held him as he cried.

Wook felt his heart sink as his wife stood straighter, looking away from him. She wiped her eyes and breathed deeply, her shoulders shuddering with each inhale. "The only reason I didn't kill myself was because I knew I had another baby to take care of." Wook heard a hardness in his wife's voice that he could not place. She sounded… protective. As if he were a threat to his own child. "I couldn't leave Mi alone. I knew I had to raise her. My second baby was dead, but my first one… she was two and she needed me."

Wook nodded, trying to assuage his guilt. He could not imagine raising Mi on his own- mostly because he knew Soo's parents would have taken her away from him. Five years ago, he would have easily lost any legal battle against his powerful in-laws. Wook felt his annoyance for Soo's family double as he realized her parents might have taken his child from him had Soo committed suicide. "Soo, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said what I said."

"Just admit you hate him," she sighed, wrapping her arms around the place she had carried their children. The sweatshirt crumpled under her grasp and she shook her head. "You stopped loving our Lily Flower, but I never did. I love him just as much as I love Mi and Yoon. He was living inside me. I felt him kicking and I felt his hiccups. I knew he was there."

They stood in silence and Wook closed his eyes. _I loved him,_ he thought. _I loved him._

As Soo left him standing by the door, he wondered if his life might have been easier if he married his girlfriend out of college- if he had not broken up with her before going to law school.

In that moment, Wook wished for a simpler life. One without a rich wife and even richer in-laws. He imagined a life where Si Yeon was his children's mother. They would live in a moderate, four bedroom apartment. They would argue over who did the dishes after dinner- not about twisting the president's arm to get a tax passed. They would not have maids, or assistants, or bodyguards prowling around the house.

And most of all, he might have three children instead of two.

* * *

 **Thank you thank you thank you to my amazing beta Krysyuy~~**


	17. Sikgu

**Sikgu** ( _n._ )- 식구, 食口  
1\. mouth to feed; dependant  
2\. family member

 _3\. loved one_

* * *

 **Wang So**

Standing in front of the coffee machine in the servants' lounge, So waited for his double shot to complete itself. He shoved his cold hands into the pockets of his flannel pajama pants, staring at the wake-up call that would snap him away from the after effects of his all-nighter. He watched as black liquid dribbled into the mug he had placed beneath the nozzle. The machine hissed and purred, steaming and grinding as it released his coffee.

Having a high-quality Italian espresso machine at his mercy was a first in his line of work. So had usually found himself chugging back cups of black sludge hastily purchased from convenience stores or Starbucks, unwilling to taste the low-quality beans that were almost always burnt during the roasting process. Working for rich people did have its benefits. Food made by the family's chef and quality coffee was near the top of the list.

"'Scuse," Chae Ryung muttered as she reached past him. So leaned away from her and allowed her to grab a packet of sugar from the tea box that sat beside the coffee machine. "So are you normally quiet or are you just bored?" she asked. Chae Ryung was already dressed and ready in her typical white blouse and black pencil skirt.

So watched his coffee cease increasing in volume and he picked his mug up. "I'm usually quiet," he murmured, blowing steam away from his cup.

After months of loyally serving the Hwang Bo family, he had decided to take the day off. A well-deserved day of rest should have been in the books, but So had decided to go somewhere he only went once a year. He had business to attend to and people to meet. With the new year approaching, he knew of certain duties that he would have to complete.

He sipped his coffee as knots coiled in his stomach. So knew he would not be able to handle food. He was too agitated to even taste the drink that seared his tongue.

"Hm." Chae Ryung nodded. "I got used to being a morning person because the girls are usually up early."

"Ah."

"Do you have any plans to date or get married?" Chae Ryung sipped her drink with a hum. So shook his head.

"I have someone I like, but I don't think it'll last very long."

"She a lunatic?"

"No, she's just way out of my league." So scoffed to himself as Chae Ryung chuckled. "You?" he asked. The governess scratched her chin before sighing.

"I want to marry soon… preferably someone that lives in this neighborhood. My dream is to stop being a governess and just live in a house like this." So side-eyed his coworker as she blew steam away from her cup. "I'll start my own political career… hopefully marry someone with enough money to fund my campaigns."

So remained silent as the governess continued to open up. He wondered if everyone in the house had their own motives for entering the house- if everyone sought to gain something from the Hae-Hwang Bo family. It sounded like Chae Ryung wanted to become a version of Wook.

"I first took this job to see what it was like being a rich lady, but it turns out rich people are just like you and me. They have their share of problems and are human- they just have a ton of money, is all."

So nodded and thought about his schedule. He would have to leave soon if he was going to catch his bus.

They drank their coffee and So cleared his throat. "Can I ask you something?" He turned toward the woman and watched Chae Ryung raise her eyebrows. He tried to take his mind away from the task he would have to complete by asking about Soo.

"Shoot."

"Was the 'terrible thing' you were referring to during the Hwatu matches- the one about Mrs. Hae… did she have a miscarriage?" He remembered holding back from hitting Wang Wook the other day. The bastard had dared to make Soo cry, bringing up memories that must have been nothing but agony. So remembered tossing and turning all night, wondering if she was alright. He had wanted to go to her after Chae Ryung had revealed that Wook was drinking in his office, but So had restrained himself, knowing that Soo probably did not want to see him.

So knew what death was like from experience. He knew what being a parent did to people. It made them feel invincible. He had gotten many an injury from people who fought to be with their children again. But once the offspring were deposed of, the victim lost all will to fight. They crumbled into nothing and let So kill them. It had perplexed him to no end that parents would choose to die than be in a world without their children. His parents had never shown such remorse towards him.

Chae Ryung sighed and bobbed her head. "I've been at this house since Soo and Wook had Mi. I was her first nanny before I was upgraded to governess. Soo and Wook tried for a baby a year or so after they had Mi and they succeeded. They were both so happy. I can't remember another time when they were both so glad to be with each other.

"Well, Soo made it to seven or eight months. Then, the placenta detached and their baby died. It just… stopped breathing." The governess's shoulders rose and fell as she took a sip of her coffee and shook her head. So stared at his feet, holding his mug in a death grip. "Devastated them both. But I guess Wook just broke inside. I took clothes and other necessities to Soo at the hospital after she'd had the baby, but he never went to see her. It was her brother who held her hand through labor."

So set his cup down before it could shatter within his clenched fist. His anger doubled as he fought to keep his composure. Distracting himself with stories about Soo had only sought to further wind him up.

He dressed down for the day; no more suits or neckties. The place he was going was not one where any of that was necessary.

So wore a green sweater and jeans. Dress shoes were replaced with sneakers, and he pulled a winter coat and hat on while shouldering his backpack.

When he stepped out of the servants' lounge, So was surprised when he immediately encountered Yoon. The little girl held a doll in her hand and stared up at him with her enormous eyes, curious. She giggled and bounced over, hugging his leg. So thought it was cute how her pink and blue pajamas matched his jeans. "Hello Yoon," So said, leaning to greet her. Yoon stuck her tongue out at him before continuing to laugh. "Why are you up so early?"

"Going?" she asked, stepping away from him. So noticed one fist firmly grasping his pant leg while the other tossed her toy away and pointed to his bag. "Miss So going?"

Chuckling, So knelt until he was at eye level with Yoon. She was so tiny compared to him that he wondered if she was even the size of his torso. " _Mister_ So's going just for today," he explained to the animated girl. Her eyes lit up and he found himself mesmerized by the sparkling innocence that she exuded.

"Where? Why? Why?" Yoon asked, hopping on the balls of her feet. Her hair flounced and So grinned at the little girl's energy. "Yoonie too! Yoonie too! I'll follow Misser So!"

Nodding his head to her movements, So felt himself continuously smiling. Yoon danced around and So slowly swayed to her movements. "Mr. So's going to see his parents," he said. He wondered if the child could sense his nervousness. He wiped his clammy palms against his jeans and Yoon frowned and paused, tilting her head to one side. So watched her eyebrows furrow and her little lips purse in concentration.

"Pay rent? See pay rent?"

So patted the child's head, gently sifting the fine strands of her bangs away from her eyes. They were the same eyes Hae Soo had. Amber and chocolate framed by long, black lashes that blinked prettily. "I'm going to see my mommy and daddy," he explained. "Mr. So's going to his mommy and daddy."

Yoon beamed at the mention of 'mommy and daddy' and she bobbed her head up and down. "Yoonie's mommy is Hae Soo," she declared proudly. "Yoonie's daddy is Hwa Bo Wookie!"

"That's right, Baby Dinosaur." So glanced up from the child as Wook stepped into the hallway. The politician wore an easy smile and yawned, stretching his arms out. "Why are you up so early?"

Standing, So bowed to Wook, remembering his place in the household. Reluctantly, he bent at the waist, biting back the fury he felt at the sight of the man that had made Soo cry. Hwang Bo Wook only grinned at the child that clung to So's leg. "Good morning, Mr. Hwang Bo," So said quietly.

"Good morning," Wook replied. So noticed that the politician did not even spare him a glance. A quick nod and Wook was invested in his daughter.

"Daddy!" Yoon released So's knee and scampered over to her father, opening her arms for him to pick her up. So watched Wook hoist his daughter into his arms and kiss her cheeks, commenting about how much she had grown overnight.

"You must be five kilo heavier than you were yesterday, Yoonie! Did you eat snacks in your sleep?" Yoon squealed with laughter and So took that moment to excuse himself.

Slipping from the house, he walked off its lavish grounds, exhaling fog into the brisk morning air. He shoved his hands into his pockets and quickened his stride, trying not to shiver in the cold. He wondered if Mi and Yoon's school would be cancelled due to the amount of snow that had piled up around Seoul. _Will Soo drive them if school isn't cancelled? Will Chae Ryung? Shit, I can't remember that part of the manual._

For a moment, So turned and debated returning to the house. Day off be damned, he knew the girls needed to go to school.

In the end, it was memory that made him continue onward. So frowned when he realized Mi's school was on holiday. The oldest would only be attending her hagwons while Yoon continued to attend daycare. It would be up to Chae Ryung to care for them.

So wondered if he was purposefully pulling himself back from going… there. To the place where he knew his parents still lived. To the little apartment they refused to move out of.

The front gate slid closed behind him and So began his trek to the nearest bus stop, walking briskly and trying to avoid hypothermia. He wished he had worn another shirt, or at least eaten a bit of breakfast. A single cup of coffee only provided him with caffeine- So needed sustenance.

"Hey, Mister!"

He turned when a young man on a bike pedaled towards him. So frowned at Lee Jung, the teenager that lived in the house across from Soo's. So remembered Soo speaking to him on her way to send Yoon to daycare. "Hello Jung," he called.

Jung caught up to him in less than a heartbeat, slowing his pace down to grin at him. "Where you headed?" he asked.

"Somewhere." So was in no mood to treat with the boy. He scanned over the young man and decided he would be in his earliest twenties or late teens. _My younger brother might be this age if he's still alive,_ So thought. Like all of the children in the neighborhood, Lee Jung was bedecked in designer ware. So noticed a jade bracelet on the younger man's wrist and his silver and black bike was as pricey as it was dented. So wondered why a teenager required a bright yellow Versace parka.

"Cool, so what's it like being a bodyguard? Is it fun? Have you killed anyone?" The boy rattled off questions and So found himself peering at Jung's face in mild disinterest, wondering how he would easily be rid of the pesky child. "Since Mr. Wook is a politician, does that mean there are assassins out to get him?"

So almost paused at the boy's question. However, years of practice had left him with an immaculate poker face. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Being a bodyguard is mostly driving, following, and lots of paperwork. I have to maintain the entire house's security," he said. "Mrs. Hae goes somewhere and I follow her." Jung listened with rapt attention, slowly pedaling to match So's pace.

"But you're not with her right now."

Sighing, So nodded. "So it seems," he replied. He was thankful when another absurdly rich teenager pulled up on a bike, waving his hand at Jung.

"Lee Jung! Come on! Song Bum Soo says his older sister's bringing her Lamborghini over! Plus, I heard Yoo Ji Sung is coming too!"

"What? Really?!" Jung demanded. So nodded as the boy hastened to bow to him before pedaling off. "Ji Sung's really gonna come? But she told Bum Soo she wasn't going to!"

So walked to the outskirts of the neighborhood, past luxury vehicles and the occasional supercar. With his hands rammed into his pockets, he sighed and stepped out onto the main streets that connected the affluent neighborhood with the outside world. His heart beat quickly and he grew more antsy with each passing step. He was leaving the company of people like Soo and Yoon and entering that of his parents.

He took the subway to the outskirts of town, switching to a bus to take him even further. On the way, So bought a box of fruit and a sack of rice. Stopping at a store that specialized in red ginseng, he also purchased a case of roots. He felt a strange ball of emotions block his throat when he paid for the food with his credit card. The plastic that had thrown his parents into debt was now something he used regularly. He could easily afford the gifts wrapped in red cloth.

So arrived at a neighborhood with rundown buildings around lunchtime. He gazed around the poorly maintained apartment complex as he walked through the desolate parking lot. Children played in the snow, their hand-me-down parkas worn and frayed. They built snowmen and laughed, throwing slush at each other. A small fight broke out over who got to ride the sled next.

He waved to the children and they waved back, shouting at him. "Mr. So! You're back!"

Smiling, So nodded. "Happy New Year, kids," he said. The children laughed.

"It's not for another week!"

So only smiled as he watched the kids continue to play. "My mistake," he murmured to himself. This was the world he had grown up in. There were no Lamborghinis- no cars in general. No one in that area would even know what Versace was. They would shake their heads and scoff at the very notion of a single coat costing as much as a used car.

So entered one of the buildings and walked up its dirty stairs, inhaling the familiar scent of mildew and other nameless funks. He carried the gifts in his arms, trekking up to the fourth floor. His heart beat frantically and So could not tell if it was from walking up the stairs or because he was nervous.

He paused in front of a door before taking a deep breath. The doorbell was permanently broken; a baseball from Yo had destroyed the button and camera. No one had felt the need to scrounge up the money for a new one.

So knocked on the door, sending three sharp raps to the cold metal.

There was a moment of silence and he wondered if anyone was even home. Because there were only two cars in the entire neighborhood, it was impossible to know where people were.

"What?!" someone shouted from inside. So bit his bottom lip at his mother's shrill voice. The door cracked open and he met eyes with the woman that raised him. "Oh, it's you."

His mother was skinny and still wore bright red lipstick on her reedy lips. Her thin hair was curly around her wrinkled cheeks and her narrow eyes examined him with the utmost scrutiny.

So swallowed and let himself breathe. _It's been twenty-three years since she last hit you. You're okay_ , he reassured himself. No matter how many times he returned home or told himself he had the skills to protect his body, So shivered when his mother leered at him.

He bowed when she allowed him in. "It's been a while, Mother," he greeted her.

"Is that Yo?" he heard his father shout. "Has our boy come home?"

"No, it's Second!" his mother called in return.

So cleared his throat, sliding his shoes off and carrying the gifts inside. He walked over gray carpet that had not been cleaned in years, his black socks padding through the tiny apartment that had seemed so much larger in his youth. The sofa was still misshapen and ugly, the TV layered in a fine coat of dust. A motley of brown, gray, and green melded together inside the home he had grown up in. The entire apartment smelled like stale cigarettes. "Father," he greeted the man that had sired him.

His father smoked in the kitchen, his paunchy belly hidden underneath a large hoodie. The older man was bald and held a bottle of soju in one hand while flicking ashes off of his cigarette with the other. " _You're_ here," he sighed. "I was expecting Yo."

So did not let his parents' words get to him. Yo had cut ties with their parents immediately after high school, but So made sure to visit at least once a year, bringing gifts and trying to help the people who had raised him. "I'm sorry I'm a bit early, but Happy New Year," he said to his parents.

Neither seemed to have heard him, but So set the gifts onto the kitchen table. It was the same one he had eaten on and done his homework on as a teenager. Layered with marks of abuse, the once brown wood was littered with white scratches, stains, and burns. So lightly touched a math problem he had accidentally scratched into it.

 _(4-1)+x=5_

"Second, why are you even here?" his mother asked. So cleared his throat, looking up at the woman that had raised him. _My name is So. Please call me by the name you gave me._

"I- um, it's almost the new year," he explained. So stood taller than both of his parents and he knew he could overpower both if they tried to hurt him, but he still flinched at the sound of his mother's voice. "I thought I might come and share a meal with my parents."

So had once offered to move them to a nicer place. He had brought them enough money for the down payment on an apartment with heated floors and large rooms… but he had immediately been shot down. _"Idiot!"_ his mother had shouted. _"If we leave, where will Yo find us?! We need to stay because he'll come once he's president and take us to the Blue House! Idiot! You were always more stupid than your older brother! Take your dirty money! It's bad enough that you took away Yo's opportunity to pay our debts- what made you think you would take your brother's place, huh?!"_

So sat on the floor and watched his parents ignore him. His father cracked a beer and his mother picked the knot on the silk wrappings open to reveal the gifts he had brought. "Mother, can you please make me something to eat?" So asked, smiling gently. He remembered Soo telling him he had a nice smile. He hoped she had not been lying. "It's lunchtime and I'd really like some rice cake soup- you know, because it's almost the new year."

His mother only grunted. "Go buy something. I don't want to cook for you." She looked at the box of ginseng before scoffing. "I see you're making enough to afford these? Are you trying to brag to us? Show off your money?" So gnawed on his bottom lip before trying again. He turned toward his mother with a wider grin.

"Mother, your son's come back after a year… Please, I'd like to have your cooking."

"Stop pestering your mother, boy!" His father's shout made So flinch. "My god, every year you come as if we want to see you! She'll cook for you when Yo comes home!"

So tasted metal as his teeth tore his lip open. Blood seeped against his tongue and his father's words stung. "Father, Yo hasn't come home for over twenty years," he said quietly. _I have._ "Yo hasn't sent any messages or any gifts." _I paid both of your debts off._ "Yo hasn't mentioned either of you in his interviews." _I still say you're my parents._

He watched his father scratch the top of his head. "Second, you're nothing compared to our Yo. That boy- he became a politician! He's on TV and he meets with people from all around the world and represents our country! You- I don't know what you do, but I know it's something useless."

Swallowing, So shook his head and pulled at the collar of his sweater. He looked down at the ugly carpet he sat on, trying not to show how much his father's words affected him. _Not useless… Hae Soo and her girls need me. Not useless…_ "I'm a bodyguard, Father," he said. "I protect Hae Ha Jin's daughter."

"Bah, that useless man?" His mother scoffed and shook her head as she dismantled the fruit box to remove the array of food So had brought. "Isn't his son-in-law Yo's competition? What's his name… Hwang Bo Something."

So blinked when his mother's head snapped in his direction, her eyes flashing. He felt his stomach roll at her leer. "If you're a bodyguard, then you should be protecting Yo's wife. We saw on the news that she's expecting a baby! Why aren't you protecting our grandchild?"

 _I'm an uncle?_ So thought. He coughed, trying to come up with an excuse. "I'm…" _supposed to kill Hwang Bo Wook and his… family._

His stomach roiled and So swallowed back the bile that threatened to escape his mouth. He remembered that he was not actually a bodyguard, but pretending to be one. _Yoon and Mi and Soo… I have to… I let them trust me…_ He shook his head, standing.

"It was nice... seeing you again, Mother. Father." So adjusted his coat and slowly bowed to the people that ignored him. "I'm sorry I couldn't stay long. I- I have to go back to work."

"Don't bother coming back," his father replied.

So did not respond as he pulled his shoes back on and exited the apartment.

He made it to the bottom of the stairs before his stomach heaved and he threw up into the bushes beside the building. Gagging, he emptied his stomach of coffee, shivering as he lost what little sustenance he had obtained that morning. He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and So groaned, leaning against the wall he held on to.

He was too weak- against his parents, against the world.

Everything seemed so much colder and he held his arms, trying to rub warmth into them.

The bus ride, the subway, walking back towards the house he worked at… Dizzy and dehydrated, everything felt like a blurry haze. So had no thoughts other than his desperation to get back to Seoul.

He purchased a bottle of soju and a pack of cigarettes from a convenience store out of pure habit. After meeting his parents, drugs and alcohol numbed whatever wounds they had torn open. There was a reason he only went once a year. He gave himself enough time to forget.

Flicking his lighter, So lit up, allowing red and yellow flames to curl against the cigarette clamped between his teeth. But before he could take his first hit, he paused. Pulling it away, he stared at the white stick in his hand, watching the ashes collect as it slowly burned. The embers crept toward his fingertips, threatening to singe him.

 _Yoon and Mi won't like it if you smell like an ashtray,_ he thought. _Soo won't like… Soo won't like if you smoke. She's not a smoker._

So sighed and hung his head. He tossed the stick into the snow and left his purchases behind for some other desperate soul. He could deal with his emotional wounds on his own. There was no reason to be a hindrance to Soo and her girls.

"How could you do this to them?" he asked himself. Holding his head in his hands, he moaned. "They trust you. You monster."

He was staggering by the time he entered the house. So took the back door and tried to be stealthy as he slipped towards the servants' quarters. The house was quiet- no doubt half of the staff were also taking the day off.

As he passed by the dining room, So caught a glimpse of Soo having lunch alone. She read something on a tablet while having a sandwich. He noticed her looking up at him as he passed.

"Oh my-" He watched her stand, setting her lunch down and tossing her napkin onto the seat. She rushed towards him, her white blouse fluttering. She looked angelic, and So stopped in his tracks when her hands grasped his arms. "Are you alright?"

Her warmth seeped through his frozen clothing and So swallowed thickly, nodding. He could not find his voice, imagining the scathing cold had rubbed his throat raw. "Where did you go?" Soo asked, her wide eyes imploring. Her voice was soft, gentle.

So gazed down at the woman that made him feel so safe in a matter of seconds. The one he had betrayed from the moment he had kissed her back. He unconsciously leaned into her touch, wanting to feel her unconditional kindness just a bit more. "My… hometown," he said. His throat ached with each word, his voice cracking and hissing. "I went to see my parents."

He watched Soo's eyes betray her shock and sadness. Her mouth opened and she exhaled, almost recoiling at his words. Her hand moved to touch his cheek and So felt something wet fall from his eyes at the loving heat that exuded from her very palm. Her voice was a whisper when she breathed the question he had asked himself for the past twenty years: "Why?"

Her thumb wiped his tears and So inhaled deeply. "They're my parents… it's the new year," he uttered, sniffling. He regretted not having those cigarettes and soju. This would not be happening if he had just numbed himself down. "I thought… I thought…"

He followed her when she pulled his arm somewhere. Blinded by his tears, he trusted Soo and went as she guided, trailing in her wake.

She instructed him to a chair and So sat as he heard a door shut. Soft footsteps neared him and he wiped his eyes.

Then, her arms were around him. So inhaled her warm scent as she held him against her chest, her hand gently patting his back. _Honey and roses_. She smelled sweet and kind and loving. She was safe and stable.

And the tears would not stop.

He clutched at her, unable to contain his gasping sobs. The agony he had endured, the years of hate, rage, and jealousy that he had swallowed with soju and cigarettes exploded as Hae Soo hugged him. His body racked with each burst of air that fled it, shivering as buried memories of abuse and loneliness made themselves known.

His tears stained her blouse but Soo never let go. "It's okay," she murmured. "Let it out." He could feel her heart beating through her shirt and her hand rubbed his back in the same rhythm. "You're safe now."

His shoulders shook and So let himself be weak. In that moment, he allowed himself a luxury he did not deserve, when someone he completely trusted was with him, keeping his monsters away. Soo protected him with her embrace and he let his walls crumble to ash.

 _I have to kill you,_ he thought to the woman that gently rubbed his back.

And more tears let themselves flow.

 _I can't kill you._

So grasped her shirt as her presence cemented itself within his heart.

 _I can't hurt you. Not now, not ever. I can't._

When his sobs died down, Soo wiped his eyes and continued to hold him even after his arms fell away from her sides. So wished she would never let go. He decided that he could be happy if he died in that moment, wrapped in Hae Soo's embrace. Warm and safe, he knew he could disappear without any regrets.

The world would be a better place with one less hitman.

"You have a fever," Soo whispered. Her voice was a melody, a calming song that soothed the wounds that covered his heart. She drew his thoughts away from dying and brought him back to the real world. His was a world of hatred and swindling and murder, but hers was a world of safety and compassion. He craved entrance into that world. "Do you want me to take you to the hospital?"

"N-No." So shook his head against her chest. He felt Soo's hands going through his hair. She stroked his head in a way he had seen mothers do to their children, her palm holding the back of his neck and her other hand running down his hair. Now, he understood why. The very act calmed the turmoil inside his mind, allowing him to relax. A single touch was all that he needed to breathe easily.

"Then I'll help you get to bed. You need to rest."

Again, he blindly followed her.

Exhausted and dizzy, he went where she led him. It was seconds before So found himself in his bedroom, staring at the white birds that flew away on his wallpaper. Soo helped him out of his coat, hanging it.

"Take your clothes off," she said. So heard his closet doors opening and the shift of fabric. He removed his sweater as Soo procured a sweatshirt. He shed his jeans when she found the matching pair of sweatpants.

Changing into the clothes offered, So laid in bed and felt the mattress dip when Soo sat beside him, pulling the comforter up to his shoulders. Lightheaded, his eyes were already threatening to close as his muscles unravelled and his stress took flight like the birds on his walls. "I'll have some food and medicine brought," Soo sighed. So looked up at her and saw a halo of light shimmering against her dark hair.

 _She's so beautiful._

So felt her hand touching his cheek, her thumb tracing his hairline. He wanted to hold her, keep her by his side. He wanted her to stay, but he knew she could not. "Please stay in bed and rest. Take more time off if you need to. I won't mind."

With the last of his strength, So grasped Soo's wrist, holding her pure skin as it burned the sins away from his tainted hands. "Stay," he moaned. "Don't want to… alone…"

* * *

When So opened his eyes, she was gone.

A tray with bowls of rice porridge and clear broth sat on his desk with a white, paper bag of medication and a glass of warm water. A little slip of pink paper was taped to the cup.

 _The medication won't upset your stomach if you take it on an empty stomach, but please try to eat something. Feel better. -S_ _oo_

As he ate, he wondered if he had imagined the kiss Soo had pressed to his forehead.

* * *

 **Sorry 'bout that :)**


	18. Beautiful

**Happy Holidays and a very happy New Year to everyone! Thank you for joining me on this journey this year. I can't wait to continue it with you next year.**

 **Thank you so so so much to my amazing beta, Krysyuy. This story would not exist if it wasn't for them.**

* * *

 **Hae Soo**

"Why didn't you tell Chae Ryung or me that you needed clay?" Soo asked from her vanity. Setting her lipstick down, she frowned at her daughter through the mirror.

Mi shrugged her shoulders, her bottom lip jutting out. Beside Soo, Yoon sat on the floor, staring as her sister received a reprimanding. "Hwang Bo Mi, you need to tell me beforehand so we can get supplies. School projects don't happen overnight- at least, not until you're in middle school."

"Soo, don't be a bad influence on our child," Wook said as he did the ribbon on his shirt. He pulled at his hanbok to straighten it out and turned to face Mi as Soo side-eyed her husband through the mirror. "Procrastination is the bane of all students, Mi. You need to tell Mommy about these things beforehand- not the night before they're due. Mommy was a procrastinator and now she has to follow Daddy to a political function."

Soo rolled her eyes as she patted a liquid blush onto her cheeks. "I apologize if my being a supportive wife annoys you. You can go by yourself."

She almost flinched when Wook's hands met her shoulders, his cheek pressing close to hers. Soo stared at her husband through the mirror, feeling his smooth hands move to hold her arms. His blue hanbok brushed against her pink one, the sleeves of his coat crackling with static electricity.

"Don't be like that," Wook murmured into her ear. His lip caught on the earring that fell from her lobe and Soo tilted her head to pull her jewelry out of the way.

When her husband left her side, Soo felt her shoulders relax. She cleared her throat and glanced at Wook as he let Mi tie a jade bracelet to his wrist. "Daddy, I think you look like a prince," Mi said. She giggled when Wook patted her head.

"Thank you, Princess."

"Mommy looks better than you, though," their daughter said. Soo smiled at her baby before standing and adjusting her dress. The pink and white gown fell to the floor, allowing her to wear thermal leggings beneath her skirts. "She looks like a… a queen!"

"Queen T-rex!" Yoon shouted from the floor. Soo leaned down to pick her youngest up. She accepted the kiss Yoon pressed against her cheek, pinching her daughter's nose and bopping foreheads with her.

Soo laughed and rocked Yoon as Wook straightened his vest and reached for his jacket. "Thank you, dear," she said to Mi, "but you're still not off the hook. It's homework and bed for you tonight. You should be in dreamland by the time Mommy and Daddy come home."

Mi pouted, squirming where she sat. "But Mommy, it's the new year tonight!"

"No." Soo shook her head, setting Yoon onto the bed. The toddler immediately fell over and hugged one of the pillows, eyeing her sister. "Dinner, homework, and then straight to bed."

"Daddy-"

"Listen to your mother."

And that was the end of it. Soo knew that whenever she and Wook were out for the evening, Mi and Yoon were allowed to watch one movie before bed. However, due to a little fiasco in regards to adolescent procrastination, Soo was forced to take that movie away.

They exited the bedroom as a family. Soo held Yoon's hand as Wook carried their grumpy eldest. "Come on, Mi," he consoled her. "Don't feel so down. If you study hard, you could go to an even better college than I did!"

As Wook left with Mi, Soo felt Yoon squeeze her hand tighter. "Mommy's pretty," she beamed, revealing little teeth. Yoon stuck her tongue out and Soo copied her daughter before using her pinkie to poke the child's tongue.

"You'll catch flies," she teased as the girl recoiled and whined, swatting Soo's hand away.

"No I won't!" Yoon held onto Soo's skirt before letting go and running away as someone stepped into the hallway. Yoon collided head-on with Wang So's knees, laughing and hugging him.

Soo glanced up at her bodyguard as he patted Yoon's head. He looked to be in better condition and wore a small smile on his face.

"How are you feeling?" Soo asked. "So, if you're not completely-"

"I'm perfectly healed now," So replied, his grin widening. "Thank you for everything." Soo liked her bodyguard's smile. She remembered how terrified she had been, seeing him ghostly pale and feverishly stumbling toward the servants' lounge. He had been shivering, his hands white from clawing at his backpack.

She had acted on impulse, caring for the man she had cheated on her husband with. When she had held him in her arms as he cried, Soo had blinked back tears, trying to understand in any way how a parent could ever intentionally hurt their child. How many of the marks on his body were actually from his mother? A cigarette burn on a six-year-old's body? How could anyone even think of doing that?

It was then that she realized how unflinchingly loyal he was. So had been beaten and abused, yet he had still gone to see his parents because it was the new year. Soo's heart had broken. She could never imagine only seeing her girls once a year… but she also knew she would never intentionally hurt her babies.

Soo had cried on her way to a pharmacy, remembering how he had held onto her wrist and begged her to stay. She had kissed his forehead and gently extricated herself from his grasp after he had fallen asleep.

Having seen him sleeping peacefully, Soo did not want to want to leave him in the opposite state, his face contorting in pain and his body shivering in the fetal position. Sitting in her car, she had held onto the wheel and tried to breathe, trying to fathom how someone could ever hurt a soul as beautiful as his.

"He's about a hundred eighty centimeters," she had told the pharmacist. "I think he threw up and has a cold. Well-built and exercises frequently. He's in his late thirties. Can you mix some multivitamins into his medication? I don't think he's getting enough."

She stepped forward and gazed at So's hanbok. He wore a white shirt beneath his purple vest. So carried a black and gold coat in one hand as well as a pair of gloves in the other. Soo hoped he would not be too cold. She did not want him to get sick again.

So smiled down at Yoon and made a face at her as she stuck her tongue out at him. "Happy New Year, Yoon." He grinned at her. "We all turn a year older tomorrow."

Soo frowned when So's vest opened, revealing the ribbon of his undershirt. She shook her head at the bow he had tied his hanbok in. "Your shirt is wrong."

Reaching forward, Soo opened So's vest and untied the knot beneath. His shirt parted to reveal black heat gear and Soo smiled, knowing he would not be cold. So did not move away from her and she glanced up at him, meeting his grin with her own. Taking the two silk ribbons, Soo looped one over her hand before pulling the other through and completing the single bow. She closed his vest around the new knot, buttoning it and hiding the tie. It was almost funny for her to think that they were like those ribbons- tied together but hidden from sight.

"There, now you're ready," she said, smoothing a hand over his chest.

They took one car to the event. Soo sat with Wook in the backseat, keeping as far away from him as possible. Still unable to erase those images of her husband holding a different woman, she gazed anywhere but towards him. She even occasionally glanced towards the driver's seat, knowing Wang So was driving.

They arrived at the temple and Soo braced herself for the cameras, trying to drown out the flashes and bright lights that illuminated the dead of night. Pulling her fur vest tighter around her body, she waited for Wook to come to her side of the car.

The door opened and Soo accepted her husband's hand, smiling at him. He beamed at her and Soo wondered why Wook's smile only looked beautiful in the flashing lights of HD lenses.

She imagined the money it would take to cover those photos. To pay off photographers and make sure companies did not feature her image. Wook would complain about wasting their joint account away and Soo would inevitably fight with him about wanting to retain anonymity.

But for the night, they were happy again, putting up a strong front against Wook's political opponents. He kissed her cheek and took his coat off for her when she shivered.

Hundreds of paper lanterns swung overhead, illuminating the darkest of nights with hues of red, pink, yellow, blue, green, and orange. Garlands hung around the temple and priests greeted guests with wide smiles. The cameras flashed and Wook leaned close to whisper something to her. "You know, Mi and Yoon would have loved to be here," he said.

Soo continued to smile, holding her husband's arm. "Yoon is too young to stay up this late and Mi is grounded."

Wook only sighed and continued to wave for the cameras.

They walked past the armada of photographers and Soo shook hands with the president and kissed his wife's cheek. My father's money got you elected, she thought idly, looking at the man that greeted her husband.

"Welcome, Wook, Soo," the president said warmly. He was an older man, but he seemed to have full confidence in Wook. "I do hope you'll enjoy yourselves… May you receive many blessings."

"May you receive many blessings as well," Soo said as she beamed along with him.

They walked away to greet other people and Soo wished she could just disappear. As a chaebol and as a businesswoman, she knew she was an outlier among the group of lawyers, politicians, and their spouses. These were not her people, and their eyes betrayed as much.

Hwang Bo Wook was the only man in the president's inner circle with an immediate connection to one of the country's major conglomerates. The youngest person to ever reach his level of power, he was either adored or despised. As his rich wife, Soo was just looked down on. She hated political functions.

"Hello, how are you? How are the children?"

"Oh, your hanbok is absolutely stunning! You must tell me your designer!"

"How are the children? Mi and Yoon, right? Oh, they must be so big now!"

"Tell me, tell me, are you and Wook going to have another baby soon? You're still young and I'm sure the publicity alone would win him another president!"

"Are the girls lonely without another sibling to play with?"

Soo smiled and chatted with the women around her, trying to bite back scathing remarks. Forget being a college-educated businesswoman and chief officer of a conglomerate; when she was with Wook she was his pretty wife- the pretty mother of his pretty babies.

She remembered her manners and answered each question with grace, folding her hands against her skirt. She knew So was behind her. He had her back if any of these women decided to pounce and tear her throat out.

Holding Wook's arm, Soo bowed to the priests at the temple. They greeted her with returned bows and Soo genuinely smiled at the religious men and women that maintained residence there. They seemed to be the only people who did not look at her as if she was a rotting carcass. "Happy New Year," she said to a monk. "Please receive many blessings."

"And you, child. The new year brings us all closer. The sun has set and when it rises, we shall all hope to be a year wiser."

Soo followed her husband as he greeted people, rubbed elbows, and laughed at inside political jokes that she never understood. She laughed when he laughed, frowned when he frowned, and answered any questions regarding the children because of course it was her duty to do so.

"Hwang Bo Wook! As I live and breathe!"

Soo turned in the direction of a barely masked sneer. Her eyes widened when a man with the exact same gaze as So approached, his smirk eerily similar to the bodyguard behind her.

Wang Yo.

The gears in her mind turned and Soo exhaled as she stared at the face of her husband's greatest annoyance and bodyguard's older brother.

He was taller than So and more lanky. Though they had the same cold eyes, Soo knew So could smile. As for his brother… she was unsure if he could make a face other than a sneer. He wore a gold and black hanbok while his wife wore purple and blue.

Soo watched Wook shake his counterpart's hand and Soo leaned forward to kiss Wang Yo's wife on the cheek. "Oh, my goodness," she remarked at the pregnant woman's stomach. "How many months are you along? You look so beautiful!"

"Six months." Yo's wife smiled sweetly, her expression softer than her husband's leer. "It's so nice to meet you."

"Hwang Bo Wook, you look better outside of Parliament." Yo said with a smirk. "Too bad that tax didn't pass, hm?"

Soo could feel Wook's arm flexing beneath her hand. This man is So's older brother? she thought. "Only because of your meddling, Wang Yo. Congratulations on your baby," he said cordially.

They watched Yo kiss his wife's forehead. "Thank you. Our son is so excited to have a sibling. You have two, don't you?"

"Two daughters," Soo said, forcing herself to smile at the viper before her.

"Ah." Yo only tilted his head. "No sons? Who will your father's company fall to after your brother, Mrs. Hae?"

How can two brothers be so different? So is such a kind person but his brother… he's vile.

"I'm sure that's not any of your business," she said to So's brother. "Will you be going back to your hometown for the holidays?" She had no idea what Yo's relationship with his parents was like, but she could not help taking a stab at the politician. "I know Wook and I will be visiting both our families left and right."

An extra layer of venom coated Yo's smile and Soo knew her words had stuck. "It was nice seeing you, Wook," the older man remarked with a nod. "My wife and I should go to the temple now. We'll pray you win in the next election. Wouldn't want Seoul's political scene to become less… diverse." Soo met eyes with Yo as he put an arm around his wife. "Your wife should be a politician. She has a knack for it. Less than what I can say for you."

"I'll see you at the president's cabinet meeting," Wook ground out, his smile gone.

Soo watched Wang Yo walk off. Wook scoffed in the man's wake but said nothing. Instead, he rubbed his eyes and sighed. "That man…"

Later, when Soo stepped out of the ladies' room, she paused when she saw her bodyguard standing with Wang Yo. The two were a meter apart and almost indistinguishable in the dark. Soo could only discern their blank expressions and the red flicker of the cigarettes they smoked. She remembered So telling her that it had been twenty years since he had spoken to his brother.

She watched as they conversed, their quiet voices masked by the sound of the head priest praying for a happy year. So stepped on his cigarette and looked away from his brother. The two seemed not to be close, and Soo felt her teeth sink into her bottom lip when Yo also extinguished his smoke. "Fuck, just do what I did," snapped the older man, his voice rising. "Did it really take twenty years for you to realize what I did as a teenager? Cut ties with Mother and Father and you won't suffer anymore. It's that fucking simple. You're as loyal as a dog but nowhere near as smart."

Soo scoffed at the man's hateful words. She glared at So's brother with all her might, watching as he moved to walk away. Before she could storm up to confront Wang Yo, Soo stopped in her tracks as So looked at his brother.

"Yo," he called. He chucked his carton of cigarettes at the older man and Soo smirked when the box bounced off of Yo's head with deadly precision. "I voted for you, you lousy fuck. The least you could have done was pass a tax on imports and promote our country's businesses… not line your own goddamn pocket."

The older man stormed off without another word to his brother and Soo watched Wang So turn to face her. Smiling, she tilted her head for him to follow.

They returned to the celebration and Soo approached her husband as he laughed with two other members of the president's council. Wook excused himself when she approached.

Soo frowned when he took her wrist and pulled her into an isolated area, away from the party. They stood beneath two ginko trees, their hanboks making them look like a scene from a drama. For the first time in a while, Soo thought Wook's smile seemed genuine, his white teeth gleaming in the light of the hundreds of colorful paper lamps that hung around them. He looked so handsome that she almost imagined he would kiss her and wish her a happy new year.

Wook kissed her knuckles. "Soo, how do you feel about going home a bit early?"

Frowning, she stared at her husband's gentle expression and kind eyes. "What?"

"Don't take this wrongly, but I feel like the other politicians don't…" Wook tilted his head from side to side, his expression still kind and loving. "I don't think they enjoy having a member of a chaebol family here… especially when your father was a staunch supporter of the tax."

Soo stared at her husband. She glanced towards the party where the other attendees seemed to stare at her with the same genuine smile her husband gifted her then. Was she so despicable that even her husband wanted her gone? "Wook, are you… ashamed to have me here?" she asked, unwilling to believe it unless he confirmed her words. "We're married. I…" She shook her head and averted her eyes in embarrassment. "I'm your wife."

Wook's hands grasped her shoulders and Soo bit into her lipstick. "Of course I'm not embarrassed, Hae Soo." Sweet words coated in poison floated past her ears and Soo winced. "It's just… well, I don't want my colleagues to be uncomfortable. Being with you could lead to assumptions being made. Bribery charges are no way to begin the new year."

Unable to react, Soo only pulled away from her husband. "I'm sure the girls will love having you home early. The children need their mother, don't they?" Wook asked. Soo stared at him and closed her eyes when he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. "Happy New Year, my love. May this one be filled with blessings and love. Thank you for all you've done as my wife and as Mi and Yoon's mother."

* * *

Soo sat beside the driver's seat, watching So drive away from the temple. She stared at the pink, blue, green, and yellow lanterns that swung in the sky. There were no stars in Seoul. The disgusting smog that coated the district matched with the glaring lights of the city had all but blotted out the universe.

The clock on the dash ticked to twelve fifty-eight and Soo sighed, her heart aching from her husband's words. Betrayal was one word that flitted across her mind, embarrassment was another.

"Stop the car," she whispered.

So parked on the side of the road, beside a snowy field of dry fruit trees. Soo did not wait for him to open her door. Instead, she left the vehicle on her own, making for her bodyguard and immediately wrapping her arms around his waist. His hanbok crinkled beneath her embrace and he stopped in his tracks, surprised.

He hugged her back.

They stood there, alone in their own universe. Away from the deceit and hatred, Soo took comfort in So's strong arms and pressed her head to his shoulder. "He should never have said that," So muttered.

"He's not wrong."

"You're…" Soo looked up as So paused. White steam curled from his dark lips, rising to greet the clouds above. "You're his wife. He should never be embarrassed to be with you."

A warm feeling spread around her chest as she hugged her bodyguard. The man sworn to protect her. He was beautiful in the moonlight, his face illuminated by a pale radiance. He gazed down at her with hard but sincere eyes.

So's watch beeped and Soo glanced down to see a twelve and two zeroes on the battered, black metal that wrapped around his wrist.

"Happy New Year, Wang So," she whispered.

"Happy New Year, Hae Soo."

Standing on the tips of her red slippers, Soo leaned close to the man that held her. She watched his eyes shut and Soo copied him, allowing her sight to darken. If she closed her eyes hard enough, she could imagine that for a moment, she was unattached- a single mother sharing a kiss with the man she loved to be with.

She wondered if there was a better way to herald the new year than to spend it with someone she completely trusted.

Their lips met, warm against the cold wind. Their hands held each other, and Soo smiled, speaking as she layered kisses onto his lovely mouth. "May you... receive many... blessings," she whispered to him.

So kissed her again and Soo pressed her hands to the sides of his face. He tilted his forehead against hers and Soo felt So's lips move. "May you receive many blessings," he repeated softly. His voice was a melody, his words a poem. Even though she had heard the same sentiment a million times, a happy tingle coursed throughout her body when So said it to her.

And the new year was heralded, not by the harsh ring of the temple bell, but with a gentle kiss and two hopeful wishes beside an orchard.

* * *

❤ **Happy New Year** ❤


	19. Blossom

**Wang So**

So stared distastefully at the onslaught of precipitation that prevented him from going for a jog. It was raining again.

Already stretched and dressed in protective thermal gear, he had been ready to brave the subzero temperatures and sprint around the neighborhood before returning for a shower and a day spent with Hae Soo.

"Can't I have one day?" He glared at whatever god sat in the sky. "One fucking day, you ass."

One of the roiling clouds seemed to flip him off.

So shut the back door of the house and returned to the servants' quarters, stripping his jacket and headphones off. He pulled at the compression shirt that clung to his body, wondering how much trouble he would have to go through to remove the second skin.

He passed by Wook's bodyguard who stopped in his tracks. "Wang So, you're thirty-seven and you look like _that_?"

Pausing, So turned toward the older man, noting his wider waistline. "I work out," So replied simply. _I also used to be- am_ , he frowned at himself as he mentally corrected his error, _I_ am _a hitman. I need superior strength and speed if I'm to be the predator._

"Wang So, I work out too," the older man scoffed. "I distinctly remember not looking like that when I was thirty-seven. Man, if your face wasn't so menacing, I'd tell you to quit being a bodyguard and go model swimsuits."

So watched his co-worker walk away, staring at the shorter man as he shook his head.

Returning to his bedroom, So stripped down and changed into his usual uniform of a black suit and pink necktie. The tie was something purchased after Mi told him his black, dress-code breaking ties were too boring. _"Daddy's guard always wears blue ties, so you should do something like pink! I like pink and Yoonie likes pink, so wear more pink, Mr. So!"_ It was the same color as the lipstick Soo preferred.

For a moment, he entertained the idea of modeling swimsuits. If he learned to glare less, perhaps he might be able to land a job where he took semi-nude pictures for money.

Chuckling, So adjusted the knot of his tie before clipping it to his shirt with a silver bar. Soo seemed to like his smile. Perhaps others might like it as well.

He left the servants' quarters in hopes that Soo would want to go for a walk or leave the house in some way or form.

He waited in the hallway for her to arrive, knowing Wook and his bodyguard had already departed for the Blue House. So glanced around the desolate area, examining the painting that hung above Yoon's crayon scribbles on the wall. So did not know much about art, but he found Yoon's ugly drawing of a cat to be much better done than the strange, abstract swirls that curled around the canvas above, creating the distorted image of a bouquet of flowers on a table.

"Good morning, Mr. Wang."

He turned at the sound of a melodic voice and smiled at the sight before him. Hae Soo wore a thick sweater and leggings, her hair pinned away from her smiling face. She was beautiful, sparkling like the diamonds that graced her ears. "Good morning," So said in return.

"Did you enjoy your run?" So narrowed his eyes when he heard hints of teasing in her voice. No doubt Soo had already seen the weather from the morning report Chae Ryung provided.

"I enjoyed it very much," So replied. "In fact, I think the rain is much better for stamina. Makes me run faster." He held his hands behind his back and addressed the younger woman with a nod. "Where will you be headed today?" he asked as she chuckled, shaking her head.

"It's almost lunchtime, isn't it? I'd like to go for a drive," Soo decided.

Nodding, So stood back and removed the car keys from his pocket. "I'll be by the car," he replied. "Take your time."

So waited for Soo to return to her bedroom before tossing the keys into the air and catching them. It was not long before Soo joined him by the car. So reached for the door to the backseat but paused when she touched his hand. Her bare skin met his and So blinked at the contact. "I'm driving," she said. They met eyes and So nodded.

Slightly surprised, he sat beside Soo and watched as she took them backwards, waiting for the gate to open, then pulling out of the driveway. She drove with one hand, keeping the other on the gear. So realized he had never seen Soo drive during his time working for her.

They rode in silence and he sat back as she took a route he did not know. Rain fell around them and he breathed deeply, taking in the serene weather with someone whose company he enjoyed. "Where are we going?" he asked. The sound of his voice mixed with the steady patter of rain against the windshield and Soo tilted her head to the side.

"A place I used to frequent as a high schooler." So watched as she turned to smile at him. He felt as if he had not seen that smile in forever. He grinned back at her.

They parked in front of a small restaurant at the first floor of a clean building. With only six tables inside, it was almost too tiny to be considered a restaurant so much as it was a pop-up stand. The news was on TV and two older women worked the register and kitchen.

So followed Soo into the restaurant and sat down across from her at one of the little tables. His shoes squeaked against the wet floor and he watched Soo call for two bowls of spicy noodle soup. "It's raining, Wang So, we should have soojaebi, shouldn't we?"

Nodding slowly, So watched as Soo picked out matching pairs of chopsticks from the plastic box at their table, setting them in front of him along with a spoon. She did the same for herself. "I used to always come here when I was younger," she said, lacing her fingers beneath her chin. So watched as Soo stared out the window, her gaze far off. "Baek Ah would sometimes come with me, but he always had art class after school. He only skipped on the days they were using oil pastels."

So blinked at the portion of her past Soo offered to him. He took it without remorse, trying to hold onto her words. "I didn't see you as the type that would go to small restaurants in the rain," he said.

Soo only laughed. "During high school, I read romance novels and convinced myself that if I always went to the same noodle shop, someone would notice me and I would find my true love." So listened to her airy sigh. "My bodyguard demanded to know if I wanted stalkers because that was exactly how little girls like me got murdered- by being predictable."

Chuckling, So shook his head. "He's not wrong."

So watched Soo laugh with him, her hand pressing against her mouth to stifle her giggles. "He was fired after I managed to slip him and take a bus to Busan with my friends. As punishment, my parents took away my allowance, so I couldn't even come to this shop."

"She did anyways," the serving lady said with a chuckle, setting two steaming bowls of soup before them. She gently patted Soo's shoulder and So watched as the woman crossed her arms. "Racked up a hundred thousand won debt and then sent her brother to settle it. Eat up, dear, I haven't seen you for a while."

After the serving woman left, So picked his spoon up and stirred the clear broth, agitating the mound of spicy sauce coating the bottom of the bowl. He watched his soup thicken and change into a shade of dark orange. Steam curled upwards and So ran his tongue over his teeth.

When he tried the soup, a wash of spicy heat remained in his mouth, warming his body and leaving him satisfied. "It's delicious," he noted, scooping one of the torn noodles with his spoon and eating it. The chewy texture only added to the soft vegetables and spicy broth, allowing So to enjoy the rainy weather even further.

"Isn't it?" Soo asked. She huffed and shook her head. "I can't bring the girls yet because they can't eat spicy foods and Wook just doesn't like torn noodle soup." So watched as Soo used her chopsticks to pick the jagged noodles up and place two onto her spoon. "I'm glad I have someone to share this with," she said.

Smirking, So nodded. He looked down at his bowl when something prodded his shin. The side of Soo's calf pressed against his leg and So nudged closer.

"I went to the same high school as Baek Ah," Soo said. So listened with intent, setting his spoon into his bowl. He watched Soo tuck her hair behind her ear and continue staring out the window to where the car sat in the pouring rain. "He always tried to keep his friends away from me because they were secretly smoking behind the gym and didn't want me to know. Baek Ah thought I'd pick up their bad habits so he threatened each of his friends to keep away from me.

"I always thought he was just being mean because a couple of them were cute." So scoffed a laugh and shook his head. He tried to imagine Soo as a high schooler and ended up with the image of a young girl with long hair that popped her gum and talked back to teachers.

"I also went to the same high school as my brother," he stated. He felt himself grin as Soo turned towards him with raised eyebrows. "I'm three years younger than him, so my first year of high school was his last."

Soo nodded and So scooped another noodle into his mouth. He hardly remembered Yo except that his brother was first place in academics throughout the entire school. By the looks of the roads they had taken in life, Yo was also good at everything else. "He was much smarter than me."

"Were you close?" Soo asked. She crunched into a piece of radish kimchi and So opened his mouth for the other half.

"Ah," he said, elongating the syllable as far as he could. Soo gave him a peculiar look before laughing and setting it into his mouth. So immediately clamped down, biting onto her chopsticks.

"Ah! You're such a child," Soo exclaimed, tapping his forehead with her hand. She huffed as So released the metal, and he laughed with her, covering his mouth with his hand.

Munching on the radish, So shrugged his shoulders as the slightly bitter taste melded with the other flavors of his lunch. "We were never truly close after middle school. He was always busy with his studies and trying to earn extra money… I was too. We only shared a bedroom at home. Hardly ever spoke to each other."

Soo nodded and So felt her foot tap against his. He tapped back and gazed at Soo who betrayed no acknowledgement of their game of footsie. She showed no hints that his Oxford was currently sliding up the side of her high heel and gently touching the inside of her calf.

"I remember my first love letter was from one of Baek Ah's friends," she explained. "My brother snatched it from my hands and read it out loud in front of them. I was practically crying from embarrassment and when he found out who sent it, he tossed the letter aside and punched his friend in the face. I slapped my brother immediately afterward."

Soo shook her head and So laughed. "That must have been a sight."

"No one wanted to date me after that," she sighed with a tap of her foot. "They were so afraid of both Baek Ah and me that they stayed away."

In the brightly lit restaurant, they shared their stories and So found himself smiling without pause. He laughed at Soo's animated memories and told a few of his own, picking and choosing the better ones.

"So, Mr. So," Soo said. So raised an eyebrow at the nickname. "Let me see…" She pursed her lips and narrowed her wide eyes at him, creating an adorable pout. So smirked at the woman before him as she scrutinized him. "I think you were tall and awkward in high school. Except," she held a finger up before pointing it directly at his nose, "you were really popular because everyone liked your personality."

He looked down at his hands before shaking his head with a soft laugh. "If only," he sighed. "No, Mrs. Soo." He gave her a pointed smile. "I wasn't popular. I was the head of the book club and the star player on the baduk team. I was the exact opposite of popular."

Soo laughed, her foot sliding up and down his shin. He rested his elbows against the table and gazed at the woman before him. "You played baduk? What old-fashioned nonsense were you raised on? Even I didn't learn that."

"It's a cheap game played by the commoners," So said. He pointed a finger at Soo. "I assume you were the popular rich girl that could beat everyone at chess or jang-gi?"

"I wasn't smart enough for the chess team." Soo smirked at him. "I tried to join and they said I'd only bring their median score down."

They smiled at each other and So finished his soup while Soo swirled the remnants of her noodles around her bowl. "I think I'd like to hit another high school hangout of mine," she declared. She held the car keys up and let them jingle.

When So tried to pay for their meal, he was shot down by the woman at the cash register. "Little Miss High School Debt has a long standing tab paid every month."

"What?" he asked, uncomprehending.

"Your wife doesn't have to pay because she wires the money every month, dear," the woman said, slowly spelling out what she meant. So only nodded. He noticed Soo did not correct the woman when she called him her husband. He felt no need to do so either.

He sat in the passenger's side of the car and felt Soo's arm go behind his headrest as she backed away from the restaurant. Coughing, he glanced away from her so she would not see the way his face heated up.

 _Dammit, why do I feel like such a teenager?_

They rode together and So hummed as he used his finger to write a poem onto the window. His fingertip glided over the wet glass and he wrote from top to bottom and right to left, remembering the Hanja characters he had once memorized from a library book.

"When the water has run dry, I sit and look up at the clouds." He turned and stared at Soo as she read the letters on the glass. "A Chinese poem," she noted.

"You can read Hanja?" So watched as Soo focused on the road again. He mentally slapped himself. _Of course she can read Hanja, she was raised rich. She probably knows more languages than you._

Soo gave an elongated sigh. "Unfortunately, yes. My governess was adamant Baek Ah and I memorize the Thousand Characters and more. But anyways- that's a really nice poem."

"It helped me through hard times as a child," So remarked, shrugging as he remembered his past. "I like its meaning."

"I do too," Soo replied. "Though I doubt my hardships are anything compared to yours."

Before he could speak, So noticed Soo parking in front of a convenience store with a wide sitting area covered from the rain. She stopped the car and So stepped out first, opening his coat and jogging over to Soo's side. He felt the cold raindrops splash against his neck as he held his jacket open to shield her from the rain.

They jogged through the parking area and toward the raised sitting space. Soo laughed when So rubbed water from the back of his neck. He leaned down as her hand reached for his hair, dusting drops of water away. "So unnecessarily chivalrous," she sighed.

He waited for her as she entered the convenience store. Sitting on the dais, So made sure his shoes were neatly placed on the ground before he tucked his legs in. He stared out at the bleak weather and wondered why he felt so happy. Each crash of thunder only made his mood soar.

So flinched when something icy touched his ear.

"Gah!" He turned, ready to incapacitate someone, but froze when he saw a plastic container of banana milk inches from his face. So slowly accepted the drink and watched Soo kick her shoes off before joining him on the surface. She sat close to him.

"You must be really jumpy if a drink scares you," she remarked. So watched as she drank her banana milk through a white straw, leaving lipstick against the plastic. He noticed she had already poked a straw into his as well.

He sipped the sweet drink and sighed, enjoying the weather. From where he sat, he could easily smell Soo's perfume.

Ever so quietly, So glanced at Soo and noticed how close she sat to him. He swallowed and began moving his arm to wrap around her, trying so hard to remain nonchalant. His hand crept forward and his heart began to race.

Soo sighed and he froze, his hand mere centimeters from touching her. When she did not look at him, So swallowed and went for the kill.

Holding Soo by the waist, he pulled her closer until their thighs were touching. Her pants met his suit and her coat crinkled against his. She did not react except to lay her head against his shoulder. "I came here after school on sunny days and I bought myself and my bodyguard banana milk. I drank mine sitting here while he drank his in the car."

So took a second sip of his milk and recoiled at the sweetness. He released the straw and stuck his tongue out. So glanced down at Soo when she held a bottle of water up, unfazed. "I didn't think you'd hate that," she sighed as he accepted the second drink. "Is it all sweets? Or just artificial ones?"

So filled his mouth with the icy water and swallowed before shrugging his shoulders. "We never had money for sugary things growing up, so when I finally started making my own money, I went a bit crazy on foods I couldn't have. I got sick from eating sweets, so I just started hating them."

He felt Soo's hand against his knee and she gave it a gentle pat. Her middle and index fingers walked over his thigh and So leaned his head against Soo's. He breathed in the scent of her hair as her hand pressed to his stomach. Around them, the rain continued to pour.

"Soo," he murmured. So refused to call her Mrs. Hae when they were alone. Not when he wanted her to know how he felt about her.

"Yes?" So felt knots curling inside his stomach as he grew nervous. His hands felt clammy and he wondered if Soo could hear his heart.

"I'd like to have a relationship with you," he said, truthful to the bitter end.

It had been the thing on his mind ever since she had comforted him the day he had met his parents, holding him and making sure he was alright. From the time he had first kissed her, to their new year's kiss, to the very moment they currently shared, So knew that he wanted to be as close to Soo as possible, caring for her and maintaining intimacy with her.

There would only be two outcomes. Either he would begin a relationship with a married woman, or he would be fired and cut away from her. He left the choice to the person beside him.

So felt Soo's hand move away from his stomach and return to his knee. The warmth of her palm pressed to his leg and So blinked slowly, awaiting her reply.

"I've never brought Wook here," she stated. So wondered if she was ignoring his question or if she had not heard him. "I never felt the need to show him where I spent my sunny days."

He gazed down at her as she pulled away from him. Dejection gnawed at his chest and So watched as Soo glanced away. He wished she would come back to him. For her body to press against his once more… but he had blown his chance by asking her to go against her husband for him. And for that, So called himself a fool.

Then, her hand touched his arm and she sighed, bowing her head. So felt his heart leap as he waited for her response- whatever it might be. "I've never… cheated… on anyone before," she finally admitted.

The sound of the rain surrounded their silence and So nodded. "Was I too straightforward?" he asked. They sat apart- as if a barrier had been erected between them.

Soo shook her head. She looked up and So watched as she glanced out at the shower before turning back to him, her hair swinging. He noticed the way she pressed her hand to her chest, her fingers curling against her shirt. She was just as nervous as he was- if not more.

"So, I'd… I'd like it if you kissed me," she said, blushing furiously. Surprised, So tipped his head and felt a nervous smile overcome his usually stoic features. He dragged his teeth over his bottom lip and wondered if his relief was noticeable. "And I'd also like to… to date you."

Reaching forward, he gripped Soo by the waist and pulled her close once more. He heard her breaths and felt her heart beating through her coat. Her palms flattened against his lapels and she smiled. Cradling her cheek with his free hand, he watched her eyes flutter shut before closing his own.

On that gloomy Monday, beneath the rain heavy shade of a convenience store, Wang So kissed Hae Soo. His hands held her back and he felt hers against his neck, pulling him closer to her.

They kissed as the rain cleared, the sun rising from behind ominous clouds. Lips met in quiet, hiding from the watchful eyes of the gods.

So wrapped an arm around Soo and pecked her forehead, hugging her close.

He held her hand as they walked back to the car, his heart fluttering with a certain giddiness he had not felt for years.

So looked down at Soo; at the hand he held as he drove. He gazed into her bright eyes and nodded. _Look at her,_ he thought. _She let you have her. Look at what you can have. Look at her._

* * *

 **Thank you so much to Krysyuy~~**

 **And Happy New Year!**


	20. Yuzu

**I can promise fluff for just a bit, so let your guard down and enjoy. I won't let you know when the angst comes back, but for now... SoSoo!**

* * *

 **Wang So**

Glancing touches; fleeting smiles. A gentle kiss in a desolate hallway; a squeezed pinkie as they passed by.

What they had was like a newborn baby- frail, cautious, and easily scared… yet there was an ethereal beauty to it. It was an infant against the dark world they lived in. A little beacon of light within a molten world of hate and anger that surrounded their society. What they had was happiness and- if So pushed his boundaries- perhaps a blossoming romance.

He occasionally caught Soo in the hallway, and took the time to quietly ask her about her day. Soo would smile and reply with whatever she had been up to before pressing a kiss to his cheek and continuing about her tasks.

They sat by each other in the car and So placed himself just a bit closer to Soo when she met with Kim Eun or her other acquaintances. He paid a bit more attention to her conversations and took those hours to watch her, tracing the cupid's bow of her lips, the curve of her ears, the little scar on her ankle that peeked out from beneath her long pants. She took her cappuccino with one sugar- an appalling addition to an otherwise delicious coffee- but So did not mind. He thought it suited her.

Once, So stepped into his bedroom to see a flash drive on his desk along with a pink sticky note that read:

 _Eun sent me his friend's album today and I made you a copy because I liked it. Sleep well. -Soo_

He went to bed with headphones on, lulled to sleep by a gentle piano melody and sweet words of romance. For the first time in many years, So's dreams were colorful and sweet, scored with a ballad and featuring dreamy shades of turquoise and magenta.

He responded to Soo's gift by burning a disc with one of his favorite movies and slipping it into her handbag without her noticing. He also left her a note on a pink slip of paper.

 _I liked this movie and thought you might as well. Thank you for the album. I enjoyed it very much. -So_

During the day, he was invincible. Wang So was Hae Soo's man and she was his woman. He could hold her and speak to her without anything in his way, layering kisses to her sweet lips and soft cheeks. He held her in his arms and wrapped her in his coat, protecting her from the cold winter. In turn, she soothed the wounds in his heart.

But night always fell and he was no longer Hae Soo's man and she was no longer his woman. When Wook arrived home, they would have to part, their day spent together nothing but a distant memory. The wounds in So's heart would reopen and Soo's lips would turn blue from the cold.

He watched from afar as Wook kissed Soo twice a day: once in the morning and once at night. So bit back his anger at having to watch his woman follow another man into the bedroom… before remembering that _he_ was the other man.

So spent many sleepless nights wondering if it was right for him to impose upon Soo's marriage. If it was morally right for him to be this intimate with a married woman.

Staring up at the ceiling and at the birds on his walls, he would let his thoughts wander. She was something entirely different than just a girlfriend. So had had girlfriends before, and while he had felt a romantic and sexual connection to those other women, Soo had something more. She held a piece of his soul in her hands- her pale, beautiful hands.

She pressed him to her heart when he needed her the most. She was there for him, soothing his fears and calming the monsters in his mind. She chased the demons away and protected him from himself.

* * *

One morning, he stood by the car and watched as Soo returned from a coffee shop, two cups in her hands. She waved good-bye to Kim Eun who blew her a kiss before jogging out to where his chauffeur waited.

So watched Soo's coat swish against her legs as she walked, her heeled boots clicking against the brick walkway. A smile was on her face, but So prevented himself from grinning back at her, maintaining his 'scary bodyguard face' as Soo had put it. Instead he opened the front door for Soo to step in. He made sure she was completely inside before making his way to his side.

Since the beginning of their relationship, Soo had refused to sit in the back of the car. Declaring herself to be too good for the back, she had joined So in the front, holding his hand and distracting him from the road.

But So could not complain. Not when the distraction was funny and cute and rubbed his hand when he looked tired.

"Scary bodyguard, Mr. So," Soo sang as he took his place beside her. So felt his glower melt immediately, chuckling at the nickname she gave him.

"Mrs. Pretty Face," he called back.

"I don't like it." Soo shook her head. So turned toward her with a chuckle. "I should be something like 'Hae Soo, Queen of Getting Your Tea Order Just Right.'"

So raised an eyebrow at the cup Soo offered him, staring at her outstretched hand. "It's yuja tea," she chirped happily. "This shop is famous for it, so I got you a cup. I also asked for a less sweet version, so it's basically hot lemon juice."

Accepting the cup from her, So leaned towards his partner. Thankful for the heavily tinted windows that shielded them from wandering eyes, he held Soo's chin and kissed her. She tasted like yuja and her lips were warm from being inside. "You shouldn't have," he murmured. Soo only smiled and kissed him back.

"I just want you to be warm and have lots of vitamin C. Can't I want that?" She hummed softly, tilting her head to the side.

So took a sip of his tea. He savored the sour drink as hot water washed over his tongue and the tart taste of oranges lingered on his tongue. He pressed a fingertip to Soo's cheek in gratitude, watching her chuckle at his antics. "It's delicious. I'll have to get you something to pay you back."

He started the car and pulled away from the parking lot, driving out of the little shopping district. Soo's hand rested against his elbow and he glanced at her as often as he could. "You could pay me back in kisses," Soo suggested, smoothing the creases in her pants. "That drink cost four thousand won, so I expect four thousand kisses from you."

"Are my lips so cheap?" So immediately retorted. "One kiss is one won? Hae Soo, you injure me." He smirked when his passenger harrumphed. Soo sat back in her seat and crossed her arms.

"I just wanted as many kisses as possible, but if you don't like my price, then fine- one kiss is exactly four thousand won. Kiss me once and we're even. After that, you can never kiss me again, you prideful man."

So stopped at a red light and looked over at Soo as she pursed her lips and sulked. She looked too adorable for him not to react and So chuckled. "Come here," he murmured. Reaching over, he cupped Soo's cheek before quickly dotting multiple kisses to her pouting lips. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten."

Soo began to smile around the third peck and she wrinkled her nose when So pressed his lips to that as well. When he returned his attention to the road, Soo nodded her head. "Well, since you have three thousand nine hundred and ninety more to go, I guess we'll have to figure some agreement out."

"Anything for you, dear," he replied, turning the wheel. "Anything for you." So found himself smiling when Soo quickly leaned across the center of the car to peck his cheek. He accepted the gentle kiss with a nod and chuckled when Soo returned to her seat.

"Tell me you're charging for that one too," he stated. Soo used the pad of her thumb to wipe something off of his face. Judging by the way she licked the tip of her finger and rubbed his cheek before moving to his lips, So assumed it was lipstick that covered his skin.

"That one, Wang So," she muttered, "is on the house."

Laughing, he shook his head and continued to drive.

They spent entire days together. Ever since he had asked Soo to be his girlfriend, they had spent as many waking hours in each other's presence as they could, chatting and kissing. So felt like a teenager again.

With the sun in the sky, nothing could touch him.

"I want to install new cameras on the property," So said as he drove. He glanced at Soo as she frowned at the randomness of his comment.

"What?"

"The cameras on the property. They're outdated- by seven to ten years if my guess is accurate. I don't like the quality of the footage that's been coming through," he explained. Taking a turn, So continued to speak, twisting the wheel beneath his hands. "I was reviewing footage of the girls during their snow day and it cuts in certain places. It worries me that there are blind spots in the video and I want to make sure the children are monitored even when I'm not there to watch them." He remembered checking the video saved by his subordinates in the security office, swearing at the screen as it flickered and showed blurry images of two children in black parkas throwing snow at each other. He had gotten antsy when it was almost impossible to determine which child was which.

At one point, he had released a string of curses when a third person had suddenly teleported on screen, making for the girls. He had later found out that the person had been Lee Jung delivering a new year's gift from his parents. But watching the unknown figure approaching the children had made So's heart falter. He needed better gear to make sure the girls were safe; to make sure the house was well-protected and Soo and her family were under no harm.

So raised his eyebrows when Soo leaned her forehead against his arm. "Thank you," she sighed. He felt a smile creep onto his lips as she held onto him.

"Anything for you, my dear," he said again. So turned to flash Soo a smile. "Mi and Yoon are everything to you. I'd never let any harm ever come to them."

He stopped the car in front of their next destination and leaned forward when Soo's palm caressed his cheek, her thumb swiping over his bottom lip. So smiled and accepted the long kiss she gave him.

His hands made their way to her hips and So held Soo as he kissed her back, pulling against the grasp of his seat belt to be just a bit closer to her. "You care for them so much," she sighed against his mouth.

"I'm an 'all or nothing' kind of man," So replied, his lips brushing over hers as he spoke. "I consider your children a very important part of you and I want to protect them with everything I have if it means making you happy."

Soo laughed softly and So pulled away from her, feeling her take his hand. Her nimble fingers laced with his and So felt her raise his knuckles to her lips, gently caressing his hand. "Mr. Scary Bodyguard, do you know how sexy you sound right now?"

Chuckling, So shut the car off. "Does that mean you'll have sex with me tonight? Shall I buy condoms?"

He glanced over at Soo as she frowned at him, her eyes betraying her uncertainty. So realized he had been too forward. He shook his head and cleared his throat before tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, retracting his words. "I'm kidding. Take your time. I'll be ready when you are."

He smiled at Soo as she reached her hand up. So felt her fingertips against his skin, touching his face. Her glancing caresses traced over his lips and eyes. So leaned into her gentle touch and kissed the inside of her palm.

"You have a beautiful smile," she said quietly. "I wonder why I'm the only one that can see it."

Pressing his lips to her fingertips, So felt himself smile wider. Anything for Hae Soo. Anything for her. "Maybe you're the only reason I smile."

"Please don't say that." He opened his eyes and felt Soo kiss his cheek. Her lips lingered against his skin and So nuzzled close to her. "There's so much more to smile for in life- not just someone you like."

So looked into the eyes that peered into his, so close that he could see their individual black lashes. He could feel Soo's warm breaths against his chin. "I smile because I now have reason to," he murmured, nudging his forehead against hers. "You just happen to be the best one."

He listened to Soo sigh. "Wang So, why do I feel so attracted to you?"

"For the same reason I find myself attracted to you, Hae Soo."

"You think my butt is cute?"

So scoffed at the abruptness of Soo's remark, turning away to laugh. He closed his eyes as Soo also chuckled at her joke.

Leaning back against his seat, So shook his head. "Yes, Hae Soo. I find your butt especially adorable," he sighed, grinning like an idiot. He turned to look at his partner as she continued to laugh, her hands covering her mouth. "I also think your eyebrows are especially sexy."

So watched as Soo sat straight. "Not as much as I love your elbows," she said cheekily. They grinned at each other's childish remarks and So scoffed, unwilling to be outdone.

"Hae Soo, you enticed me from the moment I saw your ankle bones."

"Wang So, I'm going to be late for my meeting from staring at your beautiful rib cage."

"You're already late for your meeting."

"Shit. Maybe it's because I was busy looking at your ears."

"You really are late for your meeting."

"Fine, fine," Soo groaned. "Have fun with my babies while I'm away."

So pressed a last kiss to Soo's cheek before going to open her door.

"Enjoy your meeting, Mrs. Hae," he said to her. He could already hear Baek Ah exiting his father's building, making for Soo. The younger man's shoes tapped against the stone floor and he called his sister's name. She stepped out of the car and nodded to her brother as he reached to pat her shoulder.

"Punctual as always, aren't we? I swear your weekly coffees with Eun are the bane of my schedule." So smirked to himself as Soo shook her head at her older brother. Baek Ah only scoffed before pecking her cheek and leading her inside. "Tell me about the children. How are they? You know I want to see my nieces more often. Bring them to my house sometime. I get lonely."

When Soo disappeared from sight, So looked down at his watch and nodded. He had two hours to pick the children up and deliver them to their respective after-school activities before it would be time to see Soo again.

* * *

Standing in front of the preschool, So watched as small children toddled around, playing on the little nursery's grounds. They shouted and babbled in high voices, the boys almost indistinguishable from the girls.

Kicking balls around, trying but failing to jump rope, and chasing each other across the front of the daycare, each child awaited the arrival of their parents or driver.

He could easily pick out the child he had come for, noting her bouncing pigtails and high-pitched screech. Hwang Bo Yoon kicked a ball towards a little boy, her jeans dusted with sand and her once pink shirt covered in stripes of paint.

"Yoon!" So called. He entered the school grounds and approached her teacher as the little girl perked up.

"So!" He snorted back a laugh at Yoon's blatant usage of his name without any titles.

He turned to the young woman that managed the children, noting the way she blushed when he drew nearer. "Ms. Han, I hope Yoon wasn't too much of a handful today," he said, nodding to her. The teacher grinned at him before shaking her head.

"Mr. Wang," she said. She was in her late twenties and a college graduate. So had done extensive research into the teachers that would be handling Mi and Yoon, making sure they were all clean. This particular teacher seemed to have an interest in him, but So could not bring himself to ever acknowledge her blushes and little giggles. They meant nothing to him. "Yoon was no problem at all. She was a dear today."

So chuckled when the little girl flew into his legs, knocking into his knees. _Are you sure? She's covered in paint and sand. I doubt she was an angel._

Yoon pulled at his pant leg while calling his name. "So! Up!" she shouted. The little girl impatiently tugged at him and So knew he would soon have to oblige to her adorable demands.

So glanced down at the child before sighing and picking her up. Ms. Han laughed softly, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Yoon, we must refer to adults as Mr. or Ms. You should call your bodyguard Mr. So," she gently reprimanded the girl.

So frowned at the child that hugged his neck with her little arms. The scent of dry acrylic paint clung to every part of her. "Hwang Bo Yoon, will Mommy like how dirty your shirt is?" he asked as she hugged him. Yoon tilted her head back and So did the same in order to look at her sheepish face.

"Sh!" she giggled against him. So held the little girl close before bowing to her teacher. "Mommy won't know if So don't tell her."

"Mr. So," So corrected her. He exhaled through his nose when one of Yoon's pigtails tickled his face, brushing over his skin. "And she won't know if Mr. So _doesn't_ tell her."

"Mis-ster So doesn't tell Mommy, and Yoonie is a good girl."

So frowned as he carried the child back to the car. He mulled over her conditions in his mind as he unlocked the vehicle. Eventually, Soo was bound to see Yoon in her paint-smeared clothing. "So if Mr. So doesn't tell Mommy that Yoonie painted on her clothes, Yoonie will be a good girl?"

He set her onto her car seat and stood by as she deftly buckled herself in before beaming up at him. "See! Yoonie's already good!" She giggled, pointing to her accomplishment.

Nodding, So agreed. "Alright. I won't tell Mommy you painted yourself, Miss Monet." He patted Yoon's head as she squirmed in her seat. "In return, you're a good girl for the rest of the entire whole day, alright?"

So wondered what his former colleagues might think of him- the Wolf Dog. The man whose title inspired fear everywhere in the criminal world was now bargaining with a toddler.

A hitman enjoying a conversation with a child? Oh how they would laugh.

Resisting the urge to pat Yoon's head a last time, So returned to the front seat and immediately glanced at the rearview. He met eyes with Yoon who beamed, baring her little teeth and roaring before kicking her legs out. "Ready to go, Dinosaur?" he called.

"Charge!" The little girl laughed and pointed her finger out.

Grinning, So repeated after her, starting the car and pressing on the accelerator.

"Charge!"


	21. Paternal

**Thank you all for waiting for this chapter to arrive! I was really busy and really sick up until yesterday, so any time I didn't spend working on real life stuff was spent resting. You guys are amazing!**

 **And a huge thank you to my amazing beta (who I always forget to thank): Krysyuy. I love you, man.**

* * *

 **Hae Soo**

She stood by and watched as Wook sat on the floor of the living room with Mi in his lap, rocking their rumpled baby girl and murmuring words of comfort. Their daughter held onto him, mumbling nonsense in her half-asleep state.

Just five minutes earlier, Wook had gone up to kiss their girls goodbye before walking downstairs with their oldest in his arms. Mi had woken up and refused to let Wook go, holding onto him until he was forced to bring her with him.

At five in the morning, Soo was ready to return to bed, but she also wanted to make sure her baby also made it back. She gazed at the pink pajamas that softly complemented Wook's black suit and necktie. The little girl's blush-colored stars added a splash of color to the older man's monochrome.

"Daddy… don't leave," Mi whined, rubbing her eyes.

Soo smiled when Wook kissed their daughter's messy hair. He chuckled slowly, pressing his cheek to the crown of her head. "Daddy's only going for a few days. You won't even miss me."

"But I…" Mi paused to yawn, "I will."

Wook hugged Mi and pulled her shirt down so that her belly was covered. "Hwang Bo Mi, you have to be strong and brave and protect Mommy and Yoonie, okay?" Wook asked. "When Daddy's away, you have to make sure Mommy and Yoonie don't cry."

"Yoonie's a baby," Mi retorted. Soo muffled her laugh as her daughter yawned again. Pressing a hand to her lips, Soo sighed and watched Wook nod serenely. He ran a hand down Mi's back, lulling her back to sleep the way he had when she was a baby. "She's gonna cry because she's littler than me."

Stepping forward, Soo felt her bare feet pad against the cold, wood floor that Wook protected their daughter from. She reached her arms out and gently coaxed Mi against her chest, pulling her away from Wook and holding her in her arms. "Mi, how about we sleep together in Mommy and Daddy's room?" she suggested, hoisting the girl against her hip. Soo had not realized how much her little girl had grown and she found herself pausing in surprise at just how much Mi weighed.

Even before Soo opened her mouth, she knew Mi was asleep. "Bye bye, Daddy," she whispered for her child.

"Bye bye, Princess," Wook whispered back, standing. Soo smiled at him as he kissed Mi again, resting a hand against her frizzy head. Soo accepted a side-hug from her husband before walking him to the door. She held her daughter close as Wook nodded to his bodyguard. "Take care of our girls and yourself, Soo," Wook said quietly. He pulled his coat over his suit and Soo nodded as Mi's head tipped against her shoulder.

"Do you even need to ask?" She met eyes with Wook as he tied his scarf around his throat.

"Of course not. You're a phenomenal mother."

They smiled at each other and Soo reached a hand to smooth his scarf. "You're a wonderful father, Wook. Enjoy Paris." Her husband stepped close to her. Soo held Mi towards him and felt Wook brush their child's hair aside to look at her sleeping face. Her closed eyes and little nose were Soo's, but her lips and chin were definitively Wook's.

"Look how big she is," he murmured. Soo smiled when his fingertips traced over Mi's eyes and nose before being swatted away by a sleepy hand. "Sorry, Princess." Wook chuckled and shook his head as he gazed at the child in Soo's arms. "Our beautiful little baby."

"She's not a baby anymore… she's been adamant in being called a big girl." Soo smiled wistfully as she hugged her child close. She watched Wook tilt his head, a loving grin on his lips.

"She'll always be our baby."

"Goodbye, Wook."

"I love you, Wife," he said. Soo met eyes with her husband and nodded. The words came easily, flowing without much emotion.

"I love you as well, Husband."

And with that, Wook was gone- off to a Paris summit for four days.

Once the front door shut and her husband took his seat in the back of his car, Soo carried Mi into the master bedroom.

Opening the door, she stepped into the dark room and carried her daughter to the bed, setting her down on Wook's side and pulling the thick blankets over her chest. Mi mumbled in her sleep and Soo listened to her daughter grind her teeth. Soo quietly stepped around to her side of the bed, lying beside her little girl. She turned towards her baby and traced Mi's silhouette in the dark.

Her daughter snuggled close to her, burying her face against Soo's chest in the way she had when she had been a baby. Soo stroked the back of Mi's head as her daughter's hands clenched her shirt. "Oh, darling, look how much you've grown," she sighed, looking down at the seven-year-old she had once carried in her stomach.

Happy to be spending a night with her daughter, Soo kissed Mi's forehead before closing her own eyes.

* * *

Soo woke, curled up against her daughter as the sun shone through the curtains. She left Mi in bed, washing up and dressing in silence. Something felt wrong.

A tugging in her gut made her dress faster, forgoing makeup and quickly going over reasons for her worry. She poked her head out of her closet and stared at the little lump on the bed that kicked the down blanket aside. There seemed to be nothing wrong with Mi and Soo narrowed her eyes at her daughter, checking her over for any sign of duress.

Mi drooled onto Wook's pillow and continued to sleep.

Shaking her head, Soo snatched her phone off of its charging stand and accessed the camera within Yoon's room, waiting to see if it was her youngest that was making her feel anxious.

As soon as the screen lit up, Soo raised her eyebrows at her daughter as she sat on the floor, her legs splayed and her chin tilted upwards. She must have fallen off of her bed. Soo waited for the audio to load and then realized why she had felt a sinking feeling in her stomach.

 _"Daddy! Daddy!"_ Yoon bawled, her fists rubbing her tired eyes. Soo gasped and pressed a hand to her mouth in surprise. But before she could rush over to her daughter, Soo watched Yoon's door open.

The camera flickered, but the person was unmistakable.

So stepped into the bedroom in exercise clothes, a pair of headphones around his neck. Without hesitation, he immediately made for Yoon, sitting on the floor before her. _"Yoon, it's Mr. So,"_ Soo heard him murmur. He leaned towards the little girl and Soo smiled when her daughter opened her arms to him. Soo watched her partner pick her daughter up and sit her in his lap. His arms cocooned her, hiding her entire body from view. From her position, Soo could only see So's back as he swayed.

Tossing her phone aside, she made for her daughter's bedroom and leaped up the stairs, skipping many of them in her attempt to reach Yoon that much faster.

When she arrived at Yoon's door, Soo paused in front of it, listening to a deep voice gently singing. She knew the song; it was a nursery rhyme that every single child in the country knew… but hearing it in _his_ voice was different. "Butterfly, butterfly, come to me. Yellow butterfly, white butterfly, dance and come to me." Soo listened as So's voice guided Yoon into a sense of safety, his soft voice slowly shifting her wails into hiccups and then into silence. A tingle ran down Soo's spine and she quietly pushed the door open, smiling at the two people on the floor: Wang So in his black compression gear and workout leggings, Yoon in her bumblebee striped pajamas. They were an adorable pair.

"Good morning," she whispered. Soo met eyes with So and she closed the door behind her, sitting down beside him. Yoon's plush carpet crushed beneath her pants and Soo made sure her baby's eyes were closed before pressing a kiss to So's lips. She could taste the sweat that must have resulted from his morning workout as her skin met his stubbled face.

"Good morning," he replied. Soo listened to the voice she so loved to hear and watched as he continued to rock Yoon. "I came back from a run and heard crying, so I investigated."

Soo shook her head, patting So's shoulder. His body was almost too defined beneath the constricting workout gear that acted as a second skin. His muscles rolled and relaxed as he continued to rock Yoon in his arms, and Soo caught herself as she admired the way her daughter fit against her partner- like a little monkey holding onto its parent.

Leaning close, Soo gazed at her daughter. "Baby Dinosaur, are you hurt?" she asked.

Yoon's eyes popped open and she immediately squirmed away from So. Soo watched as he opened his arms to release Yoon. "Mommy," the toddler whimpered. Soo allowed Yoon to sit in her lap and pressed a kiss to her youngest's cheek, stroking the back of her head and pulling her baby close. "I falled off the bed." Yoon sniffled, rubbing at her nose. Soo used her sleeves to wipe Yoon's eyes before pressing her forehead to her daughter's.

"Did Daddy forget to raise your bed guard?" she sighed. "Well, as long as baby dinosaur isn't hurt, it's alright."

In just a few minutes, Yoon was sedated, her whimpering sniffles fading into curious hums as she touched Soo's earrings. Soo let go of her daughter and watched the little girl bounce out of her bedroom, calling for her sister. "I'm in the living room!" Mi's voice echoed through the house and Soo shook her head as the girls shouted at the tops of their lungs to find each other.

"They're cute," she heard So say.

"They're loud and obnoxious," Soo replied with a click of her tongue. She stood, leading him out the door. Soo smiled when Mi and Yoon found each other in the living room.

"Yoonie!"

"Mi!"

Soo turned toward So with a shake of her head. "But I suppose I love them for being loud and obnoxious." There was no need to look around before Soo wrapped her arms around So's shoulders. The second floor only housed her children in the morning and both were currently downstairs.

"Is there anything you can't do?" Soo asked as So's hands met her hips. She gazed into his narrow eyes and accepted the prickly kiss he placed to her cheek. "You're good with kids, you're good with managing a security team… You're good with me," she added quietly. So only smiled and Soo watched his eyebrows quirk at her words.

"Since we're going to the park today, I expect you to be in comfortable clothes," she murmured as his hands moved to her back. Soo laughed when So pulled her against his chest, resting her cheek against his shirt. "No more suits. Wear something cute… like a cardigan."

"Do you _want_ me to freeze to death?" Soo could feel his chest rise and fall as he chuckled and she rolled her eyes. She wrinkled her nose when So kissed her forehead. "I'll wear something cute," he promised.

* * *

Soo breathed in the brisk winter air and took a sip of her cappuccino before nabbing a bite of So's scone. "You can't steal my coffee because you don't like sweets," she said smugly, chewing on his snack. So raised an eyebrow at her and Soo laughed when he swooped to press a glancing kiss to the side of her mouth. Beneath his black coat, Soo noticed a gray sweater.

"Crumbs," he murmured. "If you're going to steal my food, at least do it cleanly."

"You still owe me three thousand-some kisses," Soo said back to him. She smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder before straightening herself and making sure no one had seen. "And I charge interest."

She listened as So chuckled, his laughter mixing with the shouts of her children as they ran around the snow covered playground, throwing slush at each other. Neither could aim very well and Soo often found herself ducking blasts of ice from Yoon's clumsy hands.

Of course, Soo found that she never actually had to duck. Whenever a rogue snowball made its way near her, So's hand would reach out and he would block every single one with deadly precision. There was never a target he did not miss and Soo found herself attracted to her bodyguard even more.

"Careful, baby!" she called to her daughter. Soo laughed when her little girls slid on the ice, falling against each other and giggling.

Soo wished she could lean against So and nuzzle close to him, letting him shield her from the cold, but she knew her girls would see something as obvious as that. So she shared a park bench with him instead, chatting with her partner and enjoying the weather.

"Hi, Mrs. Hae!"

Turning at the sound of her name, Soo smiled when she saw her neighbors' son hopping off of his bike and wheeling it beside him. The gangly teenager jogged towards her, his yellow parka shining in the afternoon sun. "Hello, Jung," she said to him as he bowed. "How are you?"

"I just came back from hanging out with my friends," the boy panted. Soo felt her smile deepen at the disheveled teenager's red nose and pale cheeks, noticing an awkward hint of stubble on his pimpled face. He was a handsome young man and Soo wondered where she had seen his eyes before. They almost reminded her of So's eyes, but Jung's lashes were too long to be an accurate match.

"Did you have fun?" she asked. Mi and Yoon rushed towards their neighbor, their barely masked glee echoing around the playground.

"Jungie!"

Before the teen could answer, Soo watched her girls tackle him into the snow, rubbing slush into his hair. "Mi, Yoon," Soo called. "Play nice."

She sat back and shook her head, laughing as Jung roared and began chasing Mi around the playground. He ran after the girls and picked them up in his arms when he caught them.

Their boots quickly destroyed the pristine frost that covered the ground and Soo glanced at So as he chuckled, also playing spectator to the boy that played with her children. "We've known Jung since he was about twelve," she sighed. "He doesn't have any siblings because his parents can't have children, so I think it's nice he has Mi and Yoon to care for. They think he's their older brother next door and he seems to think the same. He used to call me Aunt Soo when he was little… I wonder why he stopped."

"Perhaps he grew up," So replied steadily. Soo exhaled into the cold air. "He reminds me of my younger brother… the one I told you about," he murmured.

Nodding, Soo remembered how So had told her about having a younger brother he had not spoken to in over twenty years. "Is he Jung's age?" she asked.

So clasped his hands together, his eyes moving away from the teenager that rode on the swings with Yoon in his lap. So gazed down at her and Soo tried to reassure him without touching him. "I don't know where he is or how he's doing, but if he's alive, he would be around Jung's age," he explained. "I was in my last year of high school when he was born. He was never named because my parents did not expect him to survive."

Soo listened to So's account of his life as she watched her babies scamper around. Dressed in designer parkas lined with mink, Soo knew they would never endure what So had gone through. She felt like a villain, listening to a tale of children pushing through hardship while watching her own ruin hundreds of dollars of couture in a snow fight.

But when she looked into So's eyes, he reassured her that she was not as despicable as she felt. He gazed at her with warmth and Soo felt at peace, relishing every little detail her partner divulged, clinging to his fears and sorrows in order to alleviate the pain in his heart just a tiny bit.

"I went to college and finished in two years," he explained quietly, his voice dropping. Soo nodded and offered him a gentle smile, wanting nothing more than to hold his hand and pull him away from his past. "I knew my parents could not afford to raise another child, nor did they want to, so I prepared and I got a small flat and a job as a part-time trainer at a gym. I was a legal adult, so I was going to adopt my brother away from my parents."

Smiling, Soo looked at their hands, noting how they were so close, yet so far. She could see So as a young father, working hard while raising his brother. He was as loyal as he was loving and she found that part of him admirable.

"I went back home, ready to take him from my parents and name myself his legal guardian… but he was gone. They'd already put him up for adoption while I was in college and had never told me." So's gaze fell and Soo nodded, discreetly lacing her fingers with his. She gripped his hand tightly, trying to distract him from his sorrows.

"So, there was nothing you could have done," she murmured. "You were young and… and your parents were cruel." Soo could not mask the utter disdain she had for the people that had hurt the kindest, most beautiful soul she knew. "You did your best. It's their fault that this happened. Your parents never deserved you as their child."

A glance toward her children and Soo saw them sitting on a different bench with Jung, staring at his phone as he showed them a game.

Taking her chance, Soo raised So's hand and pressed her lips to the scar on his palm, kissing the white lightning bolt that streaked across his skin. "Let the past go," she murmured, letting her lips drift over the rough calluses that lined his palm. "Close the door to your pain and let it all fly away. I'll be here to hold your hand and be with you."

She released his hand before her children looked up. Soo looked at her partner as he nodded and smiled at her. "You are stunning," he murmured. Soo met eyes with him and found herself engulfed in the raw emotion she saw within.

"Aunt Soo! Can I have lunch at your house?" Jung called.

Blinking away from So, Soo smiled at the re-emergence of her old name. "Of course, Jung! Grab your bike and come with us. We're having Chinese food- but make sure to call your mom first!"

She waved the three children over and Soo checked each one for injuries before sending them off. She paused before following behind them, standing with So and watching Jung hold Mi's hand, letting the little girl guide him.

"I think your brother is doing alright," Soo said quietly. She felt So's hand graze against her wrist.

"I hope he is. His other brothers are both doing well. I hope he's happy and safe and healthy."

Nodding, Soo tilted her head to the side, gazing out at her children and their adopted brother. "That's all we can wish for the ones we love, isn't it?"


	22. Consummate

**Thank you so so so so much to my amazing beta, Krysyuy!**

* * *

 **Wang So**

He knelt beside her as she prayed before the stone shrines. The blue sky was a nice change and birds twittered around them, signalling the end of the day.

Jung had already left, and Yoon and Mi were both playing inside. That allowed Soo and So a moment of peace.

So smiled and pressed his hands to his knees as he watched Soo's eyes slowly blink as she murmured words beneath her breath.

"Please let Mi be strong and help her to realize that she can be loud and cranky and that she doesn't have to be afraid," he heard her say. So gazed at the woman he served, wondering how the universe had brought him into contact with someone as kind and loving as her.

"And please help So's little brother." So raised his eyebrows at the faint whisper that passed by Soo's lips. "Let that child also be happy and healthy so that his big brother can have some peace of mind. Help that child grow kind and strong just like his brother."

Soo lowered her hands and So felt his lips part in surprise. His heart panged and he gazed at the woman who perpetually surprised him. "I think it's time to go back inside," she remarked, shivering a little to make her point.

She dusted her pants off and So stood before holding his hand out to help her. She took his offer and So pulled his partner up, still surprised at her request of the gods.

"Hae Soo…"

"Don't," she said. So watched her turn to glance at him, her fleeting smile one of endless kindness. "If you care for my family, then it's only right that I care for yours in any way that I can."

So's mouth shut and he bowed his head, trying to mask the surge of protectiveness he felt for Soo. He walked behind her as she led the way back to the house, her pants swishing behind her slim legs and her hips gently swaying with each dance-like step. Her hum carried through the wind and So tipped his head, forcing his smile down as he entered the house.

"Chae Ryung, have the entire bed remade with new sheets and pillowcases in my bedroom," Soo said to her assistant as the woman set slippers before Soo's feet. "I'd also like a bottle of wine brought to my office. Something red… maybe from the eighties? Do we have any vintages?"

"I'll check with the chef," Chae Ryung replied, immediately motioning for a maid to follow Soo's orders. So trailed behind the lady of the house and nodded to Chae Ryung as she set Soo's shoes away.

He returned to his bedroom as Soo went about her activities. While she kissed her children goodnight, So ran through security expenses and prepared the receipts he had collected. The little slips of paper were clipped together and they would later be handed over to Chae Ryung, who would pass them to Soo's accountant.

So knew he would leave his bedroom sometime at night to meet Soo and kiss her goodnight. He had made a little habit of finding her in the living room or sitting room once the entire house had gone to sleep. They would sit together and he would kiss her before leaving to go to bed.

Dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt, So glanced at the digital clock on his desk and raised an eyebrow when Chae Ryung knocked on his door, asking if he was available. "Hey, I have the receipts," he called.

Snatching the deck of papers off of his desk, So opened his bedroom door and handed it over to her. Chae Ryung smiled and thanked him. "Oh, and Soo wants to see you in the master bedroom. Says she wants to discuss installing a security camera looking into the balcony."

 _What? That's a terrible idea. Why do you want to show the security team your entire balcony?_ So frowned but nodded. He watched Chae Ryung yawn and stretch her arms out.

"Man, it must suck being called at all hours because the boss has a random question. Well, I'm going to turn all of the lights off, so try not to wake anyone when you get back, alright?"

So remained quiet as the governess walked away, flipping through the receipts he had just passed over to her.

He walked through the dark house, taking a quick detour upstairs to make sure the girls' bedroom doors were closed. So slipped back downstairs after reassuring himself that they were fine and made for the master bedroom.

When he arrived at the closed door, he paused and glanced down at his t-shirt and sweatpants, wondering if he should have changed. He smiled at the thought of seeing Soo again and took a deep breath to calm himself before remembering why she had called him. He knocked on the door and waited.

"Come in."

So began to speak as soon as he entered the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. "Soo, I don't know why you want a camera looking into the balcony, but that's not a-"

He stopped mid-sentence when she stepped out of her closet.

She wore lingerie. Something silky and green fluttered around her breasts and midriff, covering everything important and baring her legs and arms. Her hair was loose around her cheeks and she wore nothing else- not even her wedding ring.

Soo approached him with gliding footsteps and So felt her arms wrap around his neck, pulling him close to her. Immediately his hands met her hips, grasping the flimsy material that looked so good on her body. He could feel the heat of her body seeping through the layers of their clothing, warming his front.

"Your mouth is open," Soo teased with a small giggle. So grimaced when her fingertips brushed against his bottom lip. He clacked his teeth at her as her touch fled his face.

So pulled Soo flush against his chest in the manner he preferred, wanting to feel her heart thrumming against his skin. He could not imagine a more beautiful sight than the woman before him, her radiant smile for no one but him. "You look amazing, Soo," he said, kissing the tip of her nose.

He smiled when she laughed, her lips pressing onto his. So accepted her kiss before realizing how her body and actions had been affecting his. His pants strained and he wanted to touch and hold her more than anything in the world. At that moment, all he saw was her.

"Soo," he murmured, pulling his lips away. So closed his eyes and tried to forget the beauty in his arms. "Soo, if we continue, I don't know how I'll be able to control myself."

He breathed deeply and kept his eyes firmly shut even as Soo kissed his chin. Her soft lips remained close to his jaw and So felt her resting her head against his shoulder. Her hair brushed against his neck and he inhaled the honey tones of her shampoo. His heart raced.

"I had the bedsheets changed," said Soo, "so that you and I could spend the night together." Her hands met his chest and So breathed deeply before opening his eyes to the sight of Soo's. Her wide eyes smiled at him and he blinked slowly.

She wanted to be with him.

"You went all out, didn't you?" He chuckled, touching the flimsy silk that draped over Soo's breasts. "The lingerie, the bed… calling me up here for some bogus camera…"

So wrinkled his nose when Soo shook her head from side to side, grinning from ear to ear. "Bad Hae Soo… making me worry about if I had to explain why cameras looking into houses is a very bad thing."

"Well maybe I should make it up to you," she replied cheekily. So looked down at his partner and nodded, accepting her proposition. He stood by, amused as she pursed her lips into a smirk. "What do you want, baby?"

Chuckling at the pet name, So released his grasp on Soo before stepping back and gazing at her in her full perfection. He could ask for anything. Anything in the world.

"Twirl for me," he said.

Soo blinked but complied, lifting her arms. So watched as she began to spin, her hair fluttering and her little dress flying to reveal a matching pair of panties. She spun and spun, letting him see every aspect of her body from every perspective. Shiny silk moved like water against her skin and her legs moved with grace… until she began to get dizzy.

So could see her footsteps growing erratic, each one a bit less sure than the last. Moving forward, he opened his arms and caught his twirling partner as she laughed, holding her from behind and nuzzling his cheek against hers. "Why are you so beautiful?" he groaned, burying his face against the crook of her neck. Soo only chuckled, her hand reaching back to hold his neck. "I can't believe you're mine. I must have saved a nation in my past life."

He felt Soo turn and So closed his eyes as she kissed him.

Opening his mouth, he ran his tongue over her bottom lip and hugged her close. They held each other in an embrace and So focused on nothing but that moment. The moment when Soo's hands held him close and her mouth was against his.

"I'm ready," she whispered. "I want to have sex with you, if you'll have me." So gazed into her wide eyes.

This time, there was no desperation. No need for self-empowerment or petty revenge. This time, her dark, whiskey colored eyes were shining with a want for him- just him. They sparkled with happiness and shone with desire.

And So agreed.

He removed his shirt and tossed it aside, taking Soo's hand as she guided him to the immaculate bed. She led and he followed, sitting when directed and holding the backs of Soo's thighs when she straddled him.

He looked up at the woman that sat on him, her playful smile one that he wished to admire forever. "Cutie," So whispered against the lips that pressed onto his.

Soo swayed her hips against his clothed groin, and his hands grasped her thighs, trailing up and down her smooth legs as their mouths met in an embrace. Each touch was nothing new, but So could not help but feel as if this was their first time.

Soo sat on his lap and So paused to look at her, tracing her swollen lips with his eyes. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, leisurely letting his thoughts fade and his emotions run free.

So held Soo against his chest and continued to press his lips to her skin, wanting to cover her entire body with kisses. "That tickles," she whispered. So only nuzzled closer. He breathed in the scent of her, noting the rose and honey he had come to always attribute to her.

He felt the shiver that coursed throughout Soo's body and heard her whimper when he gently bit the curve of her ear. His body reacted to her movements and he huffed as her nails made themselves known against his skin.

So loved the pink flush that bloomed against her cheeks after he had bitten her, running his fingers over the roses that appeared on her skin. "Take the lead, Soo," he murmured to her. So kissed Soo's shoulder and sat back as her hands pressed against his chest. She pushed him down and So laid across the bed, gazing up at the beauty that straddled him.

Soo leaned forward and So placed his hands against her thighs, breathing deeply as her lips met his throat. Her hands brushed against his chest, and his groin ached with want as she kissed his nipples and let her tongue swirl over each tip. "Hae Soo," he breathed, lifting a hand from her leg to press flat against her stomach. He reached to cup one of her breasts through the silk of her lingerie, kneading the soft flesh as she continued to kiss his torso.

So gazed at Soo as her teeth gently tugged at the skin of his navel before moving to the bulge in his sweatpants. Her lips pressed to his clothed erection and So sat up, supporting himself against his elbows as Soo glanced up at him.

He watched as she pulled at the elastic waistband of his pants, taking his underwear along the way. So's nails gripped the bedsheets when Soo bared him.

A sudden chill fell over him and So swallowed as he realized he had never shown himself to Soo after the day she had comforted him. His hands trembled in trepidation and suddenly, his scars felt too bright. Compared to her smooth skin, his was battered and ugly.

So glanced down at his body and wished he could erase the marks that littered it, marring and tarnishing what little beauty there had been in the first place. Hae Soo did not need to see something as ugly as him.

He gulped in apprehension and So met eyes with Soo. She raised her eyebrows as he glanced away, breaking their gaze.

"You have a beautiful body," Soo murmured. So closed his eyes when she kissed a mark on the inside of his thigh.

"I'm scarred. I doubt there's anything beautiful about me," he replied softly. "Soo, please don't force yourself to-"

So flinched when Soo immediately rushed forward, her chest meeting his and her palms pressing to either side of his face. He stared into her wide eyes as they betrayed every emotion. "Enough," she whispered. So wished she would not look so sad. He blamed himself for the hazy pain behind her eyes- the look that told him that she felt too much but had too few words.

Her forehead rested against his and So blinked rapidly, trying to contain himself. He could feel her fingertips brushing against his hair, her warm breath so close to his cheek. "Enough, So. You are the most beautiful being I have ever met. There is nothing ugly about you." Her soft words resonated within his mind, echoing across other thoughts and shooting them down. There was no room for doubt or self-hatred; there was only her. "I don't have to force myself to do anything because I truly want to do this with you. I want you."

When Soo returned to her position between his thighs, So tipped his head back and moaned as she took him in her mouth.

He leaned upward and rested himself against one elbow while reaching his other arm out to push Soo's hair out of the way. So hissed when she stroked him and licked a line up his length, her eyes glinting with mischief.

So tipped his chin to the side, watching as Soo's head bobbed between his thighs, her tongue working its magic on him and extracting another sigh from his lips. "Hae Soo," he murmured. Her hummed reply made him close his eyes.

Each lick, suck, and stroke pulled him that much closer and when he could feel himself drawing near, he placed two fingers beneath Soo's chin and guided her up and away from him. "I'll cum if you keep going," he said.

Soo pulled back from him and So hazily blinked at her as she kissed his knee and slowly made her way up his body.

When Soo's lips hovered above his, So chuckled and draped an arm around her waist. They gazed at each other for a moment. So blinked up at the woman that straddled him.

Then, he rushed forward and shifted his shoulders and hips, flipping Hae Soo onto her back and pressing himself against her chest as she muffled her shriek. "You scared me!" She giggled as So kissed her forehead and eyes.

"Good," he said, dotting kisses against her cheeks. "You could use a bit of surprise in your life. Spice things up." He leaned between her open legs, keeping himself somewhat upright with the strength of his hands.

So kissed the woman beneath him with an effortless fervor. The happiness he felt when he was with her was incomparable to any high he had ever received. She was his drug and his antidote. She was the perfection that lit up his day.

"Maybe you're all the spice I need," Soo remarked. So scoffed at her pun before shaking his head.

He felt Soo reaching to stroke his member and So closed his eyes before sucking on the skin of her throat- hard enough to elicit a moan, but light enough that no trace of his presence would remain. "Take this off," he murmured against her skin, touching the tiny dress that prevented him access to her body.

So pressed his lips to the peak of Soo's left breast, gently grazing his teeth over the silk covered nipple. He smiled when Soo wriggled within his grasp, her mouth opening in muted pleasure. "Hae Soo," So growled, trying but failing to sound daunting, "before I tear it off."

So chuckled as Soo pouted. "I like this set. Don't you dare rip it."

"Don't make me."

The green silk fluttered away and So stared at Soo's matching panties, raising an eyebrow at the other layer that prevented him from seeing her in her naked beauty. "All of it," he said with a pointed look to her.

So reached for the seam of her panties but narrowed his eyes when Soo slapped his hand away with a giggle. He felt her arms wrap around him and her lips on his cheek as he groaned into her shoulder. "You're torturing me." He inhaled the scent of her soft skin and So flattened a hand against her chest, tracing the outline of her breasts and squeezing one of them.

"No touchy," he heard her say with a laugh. So swore against her collar as his erection ground against her underwear. "But you can use your teeth," she whispered.

Leaning up, So glared down at Soo as she beamed beneath him. He could not maintain his false stare for long and So quickly found himself gazing down at his woman with the same expression she gifted him. "Teeth? You tease." He pressed a wet kiss to the place between her breasts, his tongue swirling against her smooth skin.

Letting his lips and nose glide down her navel, So stopped at the seam of the panties he had just tried to remove with his hands.

Glancing up at Soo, So watched as she laid against the pillows, her gaze on him.

Instead of obliging to her request, So kissed her through her panties, licking the wetness that stained the dark silk. His front teeth slid down her clit and So pressed his hand against Soo's thigh to keep her from squirming.

"Take them… ah- take them off," she whined. So only kissed her again, devoting his attention to pleasuring her through the barrier they both wanted gone. He wanted her writhing before he continued.

"Should have just let me take them off with my hands, darling," he said with a tsk, flicking his tongue up her panties. The resulting moan made his cock jump. So hummed against Soo's skin as her hand carded through his hair, ruffling and lightly tugging.

She arched her back and So lifted himself just enough to nibble on the skin of her hip. He then clamped down onto the silk and began dragging it downward.

The final layer fell to the floor and Soo laid before him, equally bare and equally ready. So knelt between her spread legs, tapping the tips of his fingers in a pattern over her thighs. "What did I do in a past life to receive someone as beautiful as you in this one?" he murmured.

Leaning forward, So adjusted his legs into a more comfortable position before nudging his nose against the dark hair of Soo's sex. He kissed Soo's entrance before darting his tongue forward and licking her peak.

Finally able to give her the pleasure they both wanted, So did not hold back in bringing Soo to her first orgasm.

Her knees opened wider and So ran his hand over her smooth thigh as she arched her back and panted, whining and moaning. Her cheeks flushed pink and she pressed a hand to her mouth to quiet herself.

So watched with rapt attention as she came. He smiled at her pleasure and stroked himself as her breathing slowed.

"Do you have a condom?" So asked as he laid his head against Soo's breasts. Her chest heaved and he kissed one of her newly sensitive nipples, watching her flinch.

"I'm… I'm on birth control," she said. "Are you tested?"

"I don't have anything, Hae Soo."

"Neither do I."

They kissed and So leaned back.

"Then do you want to turn around?" he asked, giving her space to do the act he hated.

He smiled reluctantly, willing to allow her to turn away from him during intimacy if it meant she would be his. So stared at Soo, drinking in the sight of her supine position, legs open and breasts rising and falling with erratic breaths. She tipped her head to the side and So nodded. "It's alright, Hae Soo. I don't mind. Whatever you need to do." He let his hand linger against the skin of her thigh.

"But I want to look at you," she said instantly. Soo's hand took his and So leaned as she placed his palm against her cheek, his thumb brushing against her nose. "I want to look at your beautiful face as you fuck me," she murmured.

At Soo's sudden use of profanity, So flushed red- something uncharacteristic of himself. He blushed further when she kissed his palm.

So smiled, positioning himself between Soo's legs. "Oh, baby," he sighed, relief washing over him. His heart fluttered at the very thought of being able to see every reaction Soo gave to him. Kissing his partner, So rested his forehead against hers and kept his eyes open, pressing his lips to her disheveled hair.

When he slid into her, So moaned her name. "Soo," he groaned, blinded with pleasure.

They were connected with no barriers between them and So kissed her as her arms wrapped around him, her ankles locking behind his hips.

"So," Soo called his name as he thrust into her, their eyes never leaving each other.

Each movement brought them closer and each whispered name was a promise. So moaned Soo's name as if it were a prayer- one that vitalized him and sent him over the edge. He gazed down at his woman, unwilling to take his eyes off of her lovely face.

She moved to the pace he set for them and So kissed the woman beneath him, wanting to be closer to her. He leaned over her, sucking on the skin of the throat and collarbone. He played with the tops of her breasts, swirling his fingertips over her nipples and smirking whenever Soo moaned.

So grunted as he switched positions so that Soo was on top of him. Reaching upward, he squeezed her breasts as she straddled him, her hips rolling against his. So looked up at her naked body as her hands pressed to his chest.

The sheets wrinkled and the bed quaked from their movements.

Soo's gasps grew louder and she leaned her chest against his, kissing him as she continued to ride him. So held her hips with his hands, thrusting into her and matching her pace. When Soo kissed him, he held the back of her neck with one hand, his tongue endeavoring to taste her as they fucked.

Soo mewled against his lips as she came a second time. "So-oh!" she called his name, her nails scraping against his ribs. Soo's head fell against his shoulder and So slowed his pace, gently thrusting into her as she panted and moaned, her body shivering.

Once she caught her breath, Soo nodded and So quickened his hips and pushed deep into her until he also felt himself coming close. "Hae Soo," he groaned, looking to her for guidance. So knew she would not want him to release inside of her. "I'm close."

"I'll finish you with my mouth," she said. He pulled out from her and watched as she pushed herself away from him so that she was between his legs once more.

Without preamble, Soo opened her mouth and So bucked his hips as she sucked on his member. Her long lashes fluttered and So felt himself giving way as she stroked him, her free hand running up his abdomen.

"Soo," he called her name, releasing into her mouth. So grunted as he came, arching forward and grasping Soo's hand as his body shivered from climax. "Ah, Hae Soo," he gritted through his teeth.

He huffed and moaned as the last of his release fell into Soo's mouth and So leaned back, his chest rising and falling with erratic breaths. He took a few seconds to breathe through his pleasure before looking back to Soo.

Sitting up, So brushed his fingers through Soo's hair and sifted the fine strands aside as she cleaned his length off. Panting, he watched his partner wipe her lips on the back of her hand. Her throat moved as she swallowed and So stared, starstruck.

"You... swallowed." Soo tipped her head as if his words did not make sense. "Hae Soo, you didn't have-"

"Stop telling what I do or don't have to do." She smiled and So accepted her embrace as she moved to sit on his lap. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and she looked down at him from her elevated position, her ruffled hair layering over flushed cheeks. "You quit smoking, didn't you?" she asked.

So coughed and glanced away as his cheeks burned. He smirked when Soo kissed his ear. "It tastes much better than when you used to smoke," she said.

They cleaned themselves off and after Soo returned from her trip to the bathroom, So laid with her beneath the covers of the bed. They shared a pillow and he gazed at her face as her toes wiggled against his legs.

He enjoyed their post-sex moments, when there was little to do but gaze at the beauty in his arms and quietly speak with her. He stared at the palm of her hand as she brushed his fringe away from his eyes, enjoying the lack of jewelry on her body.

"Feels like the first time," she murmured. So blinked slowly as he gazed at his partner. Her hands touched his chest, tracing over the silvery marks on his collarbones. "It feels like… like I've never seen your body before… never felt you inside me… until today."

So moved his hand against her hip and gently dragged her closer until her soft stomach met his. He gazed into her eyes and passed his fingertips over her black hair. "You finally looked at me," he whispered, pressing a kiss to the side of her lips. "Maybe that's why."

He met Soo's mouth with his and kissed her slowly, savoring the slow moments when their hearts beat as one. He could taste the remnants of himself against her tongue; no doubt she could taste herself against his.

Their kiss broke when Soo yawned. Chuckling, So held the back of her head when she nuzzled against his chest. Her lips met his Adam's apple and she yawned again. "Sleep, Soo," So murmured.

"Only if you do first."

Pausing, So shook his head when Soo kissed his chin. He touched her cheek as her lovely eyes blinked at him. He wanted to stay, but he did not want to put Soo at risk. He felt her hands against his chest, her fingertips playing piano against his skin. "Stay, please," she said. "For me."

Sighing, So nodded. "I'll stay," he promised. _For you._ "But you should sleep."

"So should you," Soo retorted. She wrinkled her nose at him and So wondered if she could be any more adorable. "Goodnight, darling."

They kissed again and So tipped his head against the pillow, laying on his back and feeling Soo's warm body curl against his. Her hand pressed to his chest and her legs tangled with his. He took one last glance at the closed eyes of the woman beside him, her soft lips rising into a faint smile. "Goodnight, sweet," he murmured.

Closing his eyes, So turned his head to one side, his temple meeting Soo's forehead. It did not take much for him to imagine sharing thoughts with her. To not have to speak and just… understand.

Breaking every rule he knew about maintaining secrecy, So let himself relax. He breathed deeply and held his woman close, keeping his promise. He would just have to wake a bit earlier in the morning- nothing he could not handle.

Sleep came easily and So could not imagine a more comfortable rest than the night he spent with the woman he loved.

* * *

 **omg he loves her wtf**


	23. Shatter

**Wang So**

"Stoppit! Stoppit! I can do it by myself!"

So stood back and scoffed, lifting his hands in defeat. He nodded his head and retreated three steps, keeping his eyes on the source of the angry screech. His feet crunched over the snow-covered floor as he walked backwards.

Silently, he raised his eyebrows, daring Yoon to push herself on the swings.

"Fine," he replied coolly, his breath curling upwards. "Let's see how well you do without my help, then."

Yoon squirmed in her kiddie seat, her black parka squeaking as it rubbed against the swing. So watched as the toddler kicked her little legs and grunted, trying her hardest to go as high as her big sister was.

One glance to his left and So knew Mi was enjoying herself without him or her sister in sight or mind. The little girl happily swung without aid, her fur poncho fluttering with each movement of the pendulum. Her loose hair flew about her pink cheeks and So smiled at the girl as she laughed and closed her eyes, her mittens firmly grasping the chains that connected her seat to the metal bar above.

"How come Mi's going high?" Yoon whined. "Wanna go high! Wanna go high!"

The little girl crossed her arms and pouted, her bottom lip jutting out. So regarded the toddler that had just pushed him away, just barely masking his smirk. Yoon's hair was put into two buns atop her head, tied with blue and white ribbons. A typhoon would not be able to blow a single strand away from her head, and So found that hilarious to no end.

He remembered standing in the doorway of the living room, watching as Soo had braided her daughter's hair before using a hairspray to lock everything in place.

Soo had wanted to do Mi's hair as well, but the little girl had asked to keep her locks down, declaring something about wanting her hair to fly when she was on the swings. Soo had agreed and only slid a headband onto Mi's head.

So thought about how he had woken that morning with Soo in his arms, gently kissing her before leaving the bed and making for his room. He had taken to sleeping with her in her bedroom, waking before sunrise to return to his room like some scared teenager. But for all the hassle he went through, So knew he did not regret any of the breathless nights he spent with Soo. Nights filled with unhurried words and shared laughter, playful kisses and passionate sex. They fit like puzzle pieces. So loved holding her naked body in his arms and feeling her skin as they drifted to sleep together.

He glanced around at the girls and made sure they were still happy and playing.

Soo had tasked him with watching her children while she attended meetings with her brother. So had kissed her goodbye before standing inside and watching Baek Ah open the passenger's side of his Bentley for his sister.

"Mister So…" A sheepish little voice brought him back to the present. So glanced up at Yoon as she widened her eyes, blinking rapidly and pouting. "I can't move."

Nodding, So regarded the adorable child that so resembled her mother. "That tends to happen when you don't know how to swing." He sighed and pressed his lips together when Yoon's eyes welled with tears and she whimpered. "Hey"- stepping forward, So lowered himself to face the girl- "don't cry, Yoon. It's alright."

"I wanna swing like Mi!" she shouted. Fat tears fell onto fat cheeks and So tried his best not to laugh at his girlfriend's child. He stifled a chuckle at the three-year-old's very serious dilemma.

So opened his arms and collected Yoon against his chest as she cried, too frustrated to speak and too tired to kick her legs any further. Patting her back, So sighed and smiled once Yoon could not see him. Her parka softly complemented his coat as she curled against him like a giant black marshmallow. "It's alright if you can't swing," he said. "You can grow big like your sister and learn."

His ear tingled as Yoon sobbed into his shoulder. So rocked the little girl, hoping her volatile mood would dissipate into a happier one. "Yoonie, it's okay if you can't swing," he reassured her once more. "Is it naptime? Do we want to sleep? Mr. So can hold you. You just need to close your eyes."

He felt Yoon's arms wrap around his neck and So knew she was too tired to continue playing. The little girl held onto him and So supported her tiny body against his, walking towards where Mi still swung. "Is she sleeping?" Mi shouted.

So pressed a finger to his lips and nodded, unwilling to shout when his new goal was to put a cranky toddler to sleep. "We'll play for a few more minutes and go home, alright? Your mother says your uncle wants to take you and Yoon out for lunch."

He paced around the playground, keeping an eye on Mi as he rocked Yoon. So occasionally turned to make sure there were no outside threats. He was careful to stay in Mi's line of vision. He needed her to know that he would always be close by.

"Mr. So, are you brave?" Mi called. So glanced up from rocking the drowsy toddler in his arms before shrugging.

"I like to think I am," he replied. Mi continued to swing and So watched her expression contort into a frown. "Why? Did Mommy ask about me?"

"No, I just wanna be more brave," Mi explained lightly. She kicked her legs out to swing further and So felt Yoon squirm, burrowing against his shoulder and sniffling before going silent. "Daddy says I need to be braver than Mommy and Yoonie when he's gone. I have to make sure they don't cry and protect them because I'm the biggest sister."

So smiled and nodded. Though he knew he would be protecting the family, it was endearing to watch Mi take charge and happily announce she would maintain the family's balance. So wished her the best of luck in her endeavors.

"How did you become brave, Mr. So?" Mi asked.

Shifting Yoon in his arms, So held the sleeping child and took a step towards Mi. "Well, I made a lot of really bad choices. Plus, I took a lot of risks as a kid," he explained. So chuckled as he remembered exploring ponds and marshes as a child, catching frogs and minnows in soju bottles. He would ride on the rickety swings in the neighborhood and jump off of them, laughing when the whole structure also swayed with his violent movements. So had not realized how dangerous or idiotic his actions had been until he had become an adult.

"So if I take more risks, I'll be like Mr. So?" Mi showed no signs of slowing down and So frowned when Yoon whined, her closed eyes cringing and her mouth opening in a pout.

"Sh… Sh…" he murmured, rocking her. So took his gaze away from Mi and did his best to keep the girl in his arms asleep. "Mi, how about we go home now?" he asked. "It'll be time for you to go to lunch with your uncle in a bit."

There was no reply and So felt his blood run cold when Mi began to scream.

He looked up and saw an empty swing jerking around as it returned to its original position. So's eyes found Mi on the ground in front of the swing, her fur poncho enveloping her stunned form and her mouth open in breathless shrieks of pain.

He ran towards her.

So's heart rushed to his throat and he could not breathe as he carried Yoon and knelt beside her bawling sister. "Mi, what happened?!" he demanded. "Did you fall off?!" His eyes scanned the girl and So hissed at her torn leggings and bloody knee. Red seeped against pink pants and Mi held her ankle as tears fell from her eyes.

"What hurts?" he demanded, fighting to keep his voice in control. Dread filled So's heart as he begged every god in existence that Mi had only scraped her knee. "Hwang Bo Mi, tell me what hurts."

"A-a-ankle!" Mi shouted at him, her nose running as much as the tears that fell from her eyes. So glanced down at Yoon as the girl continued to sleep. He stared at the little girl's leg, trying to see if there were any signs of breakage.

"Alright," he decided. So crouched low and put an arm around Mi's waist, easily pulling the sobbing child off of the ground. He inhaled sharply when Mi cried out at the sudden movement, her hands grasping at his coat. "You're alright," he said to her. Mi's arms wrapped around his neck and So bit his bottom lip, trying hard not to share her emotions.

His heart panged as Mi bawled and So wished for nothing more than the ability to take any pain away from her. He wanted to shoulder her scraped knee and injured ankle, taking her agony.

"It's alright," he murmured as he unlocked the car. "It's alright. Let's get you to Mommy and you'll be alright. You're a big girl. Don't cry- it's f-fine." He stuttered against his own words, wondering how he could have let this happen. _I should have been watching her. What if she's really injured? This is all my fault._

"Mi, hush, it's alright. Mr. So has you. It's alright. Let's get you to Mommy."

He set Mi onto her car seat first, watching the hiccuping girl click her seatbelt with shaking hands. So hastened to the other side of the car and locked Yoon into her car seat before running for the driver's seat and rushing to start the car.

Grateful that Yoon was a deep sleeper, So focused his attention on the road and Mi, grasping the steering wheel with white knuckles as the even-year-old whimpered from the backseat.

He remembered promising Soo that he would never let her children come to harm. With his phone in one hand, he immediately dialled Soo, calling her private number and waiting for her to pick up.

 _"Hell-"_

"Soo, Mi's hurt. She fell off the swings and there's something wrong with her ankle." He rattled off whatever words that came to mind and So waited for Soo to respond, gunning the engine and making for the house.

 _"What?! How- bring her home now! I'll call her doctor! So, what- Baek Ah, shut up! Can she speak? Is she alright?"_

"I'm not sure," he tried to explain. "I think she… she may have injured her ankle. I can't tell how sev-"

 _"How could you let this happen?! I put my children in your care!"_

So cringed at Soo's shout and pressed his foot lower on the accelerator, wanting to get home faster. "Soo, I'm sorry- I was negligent. This-"

 _"How bad is it? Is she in a lot of pain? Put her on!"_

So passed the phone backwards and glanced into the rearview mirror as Mi sniffled and hiccupped, holding his phone to her cheek. "Mommy," she whimpered.

He continued to drive as Mi spoke, her words muddling between tearful sniffs. "My- My ankle. I heard a pop and- and- and it hurts and I wanna go home."

With a lump in his throat, So choked back whatever emotions raged inside of him and focused only on driving, weaving in and out of cars at near-illegal rates until he reached Soo's neighborhood.

Desperate to get Mi home and checked by a doctor, he sped through the streets and ignored whatever angry glances were shot his way. "Mi, Mr. So's going to carry you inside, okay? I want you to unbuckle your seatbelt when I park. I'm going to grab your sister first, alright?" he asked, breathing between each sentence to keep his voice level and calm.

When Mi nodded, So gave her a little smile. "It'll be okay. Everything'll be fine."

The front gate was already open by the time they arrived home and So pulled into the driveway of the large house, parking behind a white Bentley.

He was out of the car before the engine had even fully shut down. So rushed to Yoon's side as he watched Mi undo her seatbelt. He unlocked the youngest from her car seat and picked the sleeping child up, ignoring her tired whines of complaint. As he made for Mi's side of the car, the front door of the house opened and So glanced upward, watching as Soo and Baek Ah ran towards them in a flurry of hastily donned coats and worried looks.

Mi clambered into his open arms and So held both girls close as their mother approached. "What happened?!" Baek Ah demanded. So watched Soo rush towards him and he relinquished his hold on the little girl, letting her take Mi. "Were you the one watching her?!"

So tried to explain the situation to the people before him. "She was playing and fell off-"

"And you didn't think to catch her?" Baek Ah shouted at him.

"Enough, both of you!" Soo growled at them. So blinked as Soo's voice rose. "Baek Ah, shut up! Wang So, I will deal with you personally once my daughter is cared for."

Their hands brushed, but So could not focus as he watched Soo carry her daughter away from him. He glanced over to Baek Ah who eyed him with what almost looked like a pitying glare.

 _This is it,_ So thought as he carried Yoon inside. _We're breaking up. I'm fired. I let Mi get hurt because I told her I was an idiot as a kid. I'm losing Soo because I broke my promise and let her daughter get hurt._

He was forced to give Yoon over to Baek Ah who gently rocked the sleeping toddler and kissed her cheek, sighing as he made for the second story.

So could hear Mi crying as the doctor examined her. He walked with shaking legs toward the living room and glanced at where Soo and Mi sat. Soo held Mi still, her eyes hard and her mouth pressed into a thin line. She glared down at the bloody mess her daughter's knee was, clutching Mi's quaking leg as the doctor cleaned the wound with rubbing alcohol. "Hush, baby, it's alright. Mommy has you. We'll have ice cream when you're done," Soo said, her voice much softer than the look in her eyes. Mi's shrieks echoed until Chae Ryung appeared in the doorway So peeked through.

They met eyes and So watched as the governess eyed him with contempt and then what felt like sympathy. With a single pull, the doors were shut with a loud clack. After that, only muffled sniffles bled through the crevices.

With no present orders and no obligations, So had no choice but to retreat into his bedroom, ignoring the questions the other staff asked. Some stared at him accusingly while others demanded to know what happened.

Shutting the door behind him, he stared at the little space that was a third of the size of Mi's room and wondered if she would be alright. He wondered if his negligence would be the reason he and Soo fell apart.

 _You broke your promise. She trusted you to protect her children. You let Mi get hurt._

He shed his coat in a daze, pondering how he could have let this happen. So stared at the jacket in his hands and narrowed his eyes at the little wet smudges on the gray coat. There once had been a time when he could have been drenched in blood and not cared, but this time, he only felt repulsed at himself. He wore the residue of his ignorance. Mi had bled because of him.

His phone fell from a pocket as he threw the coat aside, cursing himself. The cloth made a soft noise against the far wall as his phone clattered beneath the bed.

"Fuck," he groaned, crouching to the floor. His hands met cool, dark wood as he lowered himself and reached under the bed frame, blindly groping for his cell. His search caught dust bunnies and stray hair missed during cleaning… and a thick, leather strap.

Forgetting about his search, So removed the new object of his interest, remembering placing it beneath the low bed months ago.

Covered in dust and tied with a sturdy strap, a brown roll of leather unveiled itself. It looked like a pencil wrap- meant for artists and the like. Simple and compact, it was easy to carry and store small utensils.

So's hands moved instinctively as he unraveled the strap, using his nails to pull at the knot he had tied. Then, instinct ran out and he stopped, unable to unroll the rest; he knew what was inside: a blatant reminder of his sordid, true self.

 _You're this kind of hands are stained and rotting. You don't belong in the same world as them._

There was no way he would ever let the contents of the wrap see the light of day ever again. He knew what he had to do.

So endured the chafing wind and scathing cold as he walked out of the house without his coat. He carried the roll in one of his hands, the other firmly shoved into his pocket. His white button-up pressed and flapped against his skin as the wind blew every which way. Had his tie not been pinned down, So knew it would have flown over his face the instant he stepped outside. His brisk pace kept his mind occupied as he made for the dumpster behind the garage.

He heard the back door open and shut as he tossed the leather wrap into the green and black dumpster, watching it fall among wrappers, packages, boxes, and other pieces of garbage that would be picked up on Thursdays.

The wind howled and So's thoughts returned to Mi as the dumpster clanged shut.

"Wang So!" Chae Ryung's voice flew over the wind, piercing and precise. "Mrs. Hae wants to see you in her office!"

He stepped out from behind the garage and nodded to the governess as she stood in the middle of the back yard. Chae Ryung's blue skirt flapped in the wind and So watched as she crossed her arms to preserve her body heat. He approached her with dread, knowing the inevitable was coming. _This is it. The one woman you actually want to keep close and be in a relationship with… you fucked it up. You broke her kid's ankle and now you're getting fired._

"It was a pleasure working with you," Chae Ryung said as he passed. "Though I didn't know we'd be parting on such sour terms." She wore the same, pinched expression she had addressed him with when he had first set foot on Soo's property.

So looked back at the dumpster where he had just thrown away four knives and three scalpels- the tools of a brutal killer.

 _It's only right that she fire me. I'm dangerous._

Yet, for all the self-effacing thoughts that ran through his mind, So hoped with every shred of his being that Soo would not fire him.

He paused as he reached for the door that would take him into the house where Soo was. His hand lingered against the doorknob and his heart beat with nervous anticipation. Everything had been inevitable from the start. So knew that his getting fired was for the best… and if Soo did not fire him, then he knew what he needed to do.

 _I love her. I shouldn't be near her._

* * *

 **An entire chapter without line breaks? Sorcery.**

 **Thank you so much to my amazing beta, Krysyuy. I always forget to thanky ou, but you are always deserving of love and praise.**


	24. Blinded

**Hae Soo**

She sat at her desk, her phone plastered against her ear. Soo let her eyes wander over the silver picture frames beside her computer, touching the laughing faces of her family. There was one image of the girls, one of herself and Wook, and one of the four of them together.

At the moment, one child was sleeping while the other was watching cartoons and eating ice cream with Baek Ah, giving Soo a bit of time in her office.

Soo traced over Mi's smile with her index finger, watching her wedding ring cast delicate beams of rainbows onto her daughter's face. Wook spoke into her ear and Soo half-ignored his declarations for her to immediately cut So from their payroll.

 _"Fire him,"_ her husband growled, his voice tired and straining. _"He's responsible for this and I can get you a new bodyguard by the end of the month. Fire him. Fuck his credentials- my child got hurt because of his negligence. I'm going home right-"_

"Calm down, Wook," Soo snapped. "You're as much at fault as he is. This was Mi's mistake." She continued to gaze at the pictures of her children and sighed at the image of her husband the first time he held Yoon. That version of Wook beamed down at their baby girl. "I can handle a scraped knee and minor injury. You have work to do."

There was silence on the other end and Soo rubbed her eyes before remembering she was wearing makeup. She had been livid after So's initial phone call. Worry and anger had consumed her in an instant, forcing her to retreat the her office once Mi was alright to collect herself. Soo took a few minutes to calm her breathing and go over the different perspective of the incident before calling her husband.

She thought about how soft and sweet Wook's voice was when she passed the phone over to Mi. Their daughter had sniffled and pouted for Wook, skillfully extracting the promise of hundreds of kisses, toys, ice cream, and whatever her little heart desired from her malleable father. Soo had played the devil's advocate and told Mi to settle for a movie day and snacks with Uncle Baek Ah instead of a shopping trip with Daddy.

 _"I can push my work aside. My child-"_

"Is well cared for by her mother," Soo interjected. Her voice rose as her anger flared again. "Wook, if you want to blame my bodyguard for this incident, then you can blame yourself for telling Mi to be brave. Why is it my bodyguard's fault that she got hurt when he was just too far away to catch her? Honestly, everyone wants to blame him for no reason."

She huffed when Wook offered no rebuttal. At the sound of a knock on her door, Soo closed her eyes. "I need to go. I'll call you later."

Wook was the first to hang up.

Breathing deeply, Soo prepared herself to address her lover- not as his girlfriend, but as his employer. "Come in." Her voice was as hollow and tired as her husband's. Her day had gotten too hectic too quickly. What had begun as a quiet morning in meetings with her brother had evolved into tossing around the prospect of firing her partner because of her child's injury.

The door opened and Soo gazed up at the face of regret. She exhaled at just how distraught So looked. He stood before her, his face ashen. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up, revealing muscled forearms and tan skin. Hesitantly, he entered the room, padding towards her with slow steps. "You called for me," he murmured.

Soo took a breath before looking him over. He looked at her with warm eyes, but his expression was solemn. So moved to stand in front of her desk and Soo dropped her phone onto the table, the sound of it clattering onto her desk making So's eye twitch. She had no idea where to begin. What would she say? How would she say it?

She met eyes with the full intensity of his gaze and did not look away, staring straight at him. "Tell me what happened, please," she said. After shouting at both So and Baek Ah, Soo did not want to raise her voice again.

So placed his hands behind his back, his shoulders leveling and his stance growing more even. "I was carrying Yoon because she was tired and wanted a nap," he stated. His deep, melodic voice gently bounced off the walls of Soo's office and she listened to him recount his version of how her child had gotten injured.

Mi had already told her that she had intentionally jumped off, claiming that she had wanted to be brave. _"Because Daddy said I have to!"_

As Soo heard it, her daughter had asked So how to be brave and he had told her that he had been reckless and stupid as a child. She had already given Mi a strict reprimanding for not thinking her actions through.

Now, Soo found herself in the strange position of blaming both of the men in her life for a foolish mistake her child made. Two thirty-seven-year-olds and one seven-year-old… yet Soo felt that- at the moment- she was the only adult. She wondered how much So had beaten himself up over this ordeal. Did he think she would fire him? She would be lying to herself if she said she had not considered breaking their relationship over this.

So continued to speak and Soo listened, her gaze firmly planted on him. "Mi was on the swings and I was watching her. I looked down at Yoon because she began to cry. I told Mi we would have to leave soon and that was when she fell. I immediately brought her here," he said.

The tone of his voice was indecipherable until he began to speak again. "Is Mi alright?" So asked. "Is she going to be okay? Is she… how is her leg?" His voice grew soft and he sounded and appeared genuinely worried.

No matter how much she enjoyed his presence, no matter how much she loved being with him, he was one of the reasons Mi was hurt. He and Wook were both to blame. And while one was out of the country, another was currently in front of her. "She's having ice cream with her uncle," Soo stated. "She only sprained her ankle."

The wash of relief on her partner's face was so faint that Soo knew she would not have been able to decipher it if she had not spent so much time with him. His shoulders visibly fell and Soo saw the same emotion she had felt when the doctor had told her that there was almost nothing wrong with her daughter.

"My daughter is fine and there was nothing you could have done."

"I could have refrained from telling her about my stupid mistakes as a child," So said. "That could have prevented…" Soo raised an eyebrow at his response but only nodded. She exhaled and wondered if this was a sign from the gods. Could this be her easy way of ending this affair? Soo had no intention of ever sending Wang So away but at that moment, it was almost too easy.

"Yes, you could have." She sighed. She wanted this matter to be behind her. Blaming her boyfriend or her husband would not magically make Mi's ankle mend; to Soo, dwelling felt like a waste of time. "But you shoulder as much fault as my husband does for telling her to be brave. This isn't all on you. Mi is alright."

They met eyes and Soo bit the inside of her cheek as So pressed a hand to his forehead and sighed in relief, his strained expression relaxing.

She had not realized how much he cared for her children. She knew he had once told her that he would care for them because they were hers, but she had not known that he would be affected to this extent. Had the trauma from losing his brother caused him to emotionally connect to her children?

"Soo, I'm so sorry," he murmured. "I was… I'll pay for whatever medical bills she needs. If you…" Soo noticed how her lover stumbled over his words, his eyes betraying how shaken he was. She knew what he wanted to ask- what he wanted to say but could not bring himself to.

"So, I'm not going to fire you," she said quietly. Soo ran a hand through her hair and looked away from him. She could not look at him as an employer any longer- not when they knew each other so well. There was bias in her judgement and Soo knew she was being selfish. "This could have happened to anyone, and I apologize for shouting at you... I was just so surprised that Mi had gotten hurt..."

She, who had fired every single bodyguard before him for the most minute of complaints, was now keeping Wang So beside her even though her past self would have cut him away in a second.

"You don't need to pay for anything." Soo knew the monthly salary she gave to So would take a blow if she allowed him to pay for the cost of having a doctor come to her home on the pretext of an emergency. "You have no other obligations for the day. You can go."

When Soo looked up, there was doubt in So's eyes and he looked like he wanted to speak. She paused. She wanted for him to stay. She wanted to hold his hand and for him to kiss her forehead the way he did when they were in private. But their circumstances had flipped in a matter of minutes and Soo could not bring herself to call him back as he bowed his head before turning around and leaving.

Alone, Soo leaned back in her seat and groaned, covering her eyes with her palms. She needed time to herself and something to distract her from the chaos that had engulfed her day.

Staying in her office, Soo worked to take her mind off of the fiasco that she had just settled. Her eyes flitted over documents and her fingers flew over her keyboard as she typed out e-mails and checked over the logistics of the company branch she presided over.

The steady click-clack of keys helped her to forget the past hour and allowed her to focus. Her mind was wired to work and in that moment, nothing could distract her. Soo flew through days of paperwork, easily cutting through the mounds of work that she would have had to finish anyways. She was getting a head start while Yoon slept and Baek Ah kept Mi entertained.

It was while she was signing her name onto a stock agreement that her office door opened and her brother stepped in. Soo did not bother checking to see who it was; only Baek Ah or the girls entered her office without knocking. "You're hard at work, aren't you?" he asked.

Soo hummed in response, completing her signature before snatching her name stamp off of its stand. She grasped the silver and jade seal with ease, her index finger finding the north side of the cylinder. She dabbed it in red ink before marking the Hanja characters of her name onto the document and setting the paper aside to be faxed by her secretary.

"Did you fire the bodyguard?" Baek Ah asked. Soo barely thought before she scoffed.

"No. Why would I?"

She was too focused to completely understand what her brother said, but she gathered something along the lines of: "Strange how this one's the only one that's ever caused trouble or done harm, yet you're not firing him."

Soo merely shook her head. "It wasn't his fault and I don't want to replace him," she sighed. Her stamp was set back into its container. Soo picked up a fountain pen and began marking the papers she had been reading.

"Who are you and what have you done with my sister?" Her brother scoffed and Soo glanced up as he walked around her desk and stood beside her, leaning against the table. The older man crossed his arms over his shirt and smirked. "Did Wook bribe you with your own money to keep him? What's so special about this one that he's lasted longer than two months?"

 _He was a good friend and is an even better partner,_ Soo thought idly. _I like talking to him and being with him. He's funny and smart… I like listening to him and I think he likes to listen to me. We make a good team._

"Oh nothing," she said airily. "Just realized what a supreme waste of time it is for Wook to have to replace my bodyguards every other month. Might as well keep this one."

Soo paused her work to look up at her older brother as he smirked down at her. "Yep. That's exactly why," he stated, seemingly unconvinced. Soo narrowed her eyes at him as he flicked a piece of lint off of his navy pants. "You actually feel safe with this one, don't you? Finally found a guard dog worth keeping?"

While there was some truth to his words, her brother sounded oddly protective and Soo scoffed, turning away from him. She had had enough of the people around her treating her partner as something inferior to them. They were all humans, weren't they? How could Baek Ah assume himself above Wang So? "He's a human being, brother. You would do well not to refer to my bodyguard as a dog."

She glared as her brother raised an eyebrow before nodding his assent, his smile growing wider. "Apologies. That was short-sighted of me. I should be grateful someone is always around to aid my sister and keep my darling nieces safe."

Soo knew Baek Ah was being sincere by the tone of his voice and she immediately returned to her work. "Speaking of your nieces, what's the bigger one doing?" Soo asked. She opened a folder as Baek Ah made himself comfortable on her desk, sitting on top of it.

"Currently, she's compiling a list of toys Dad or I will inevitably buy for her. That or she's sleeping on the sofa."

Soo's pen clattered onto her desk as her glare returned in full force. "Brother, I swear, you need to stop buying them things. You spoil them incessantly."

She pressed her lips into a thin line as Baek Ah's hands met her shoulders. "I'm unmarried and have no kids; I have to spend my money somewhere, don't I?"

Before she could retort that he needed a girlfriend, Soo remembered the years her brother had spent grieving his last lover. The year she married Wook, Baek Ah was also engaged to marry Noh Woo Hee, the daughter of the Daesung Group. But while Soo's wedding had gone on without a hitch, Baek Ah's had not happened at all.

Woo Hee's father's company had collapsed just a few months before the her wedding, deleting a huge percent of the Noh family's money. Penniless, Woo Hee had begged Baek Ah to cancel the wedding, but he had persisted, insisting he had the funds to support her and her family.

It saddened Soo to remember that her soon-to-be sister-in-law was too proud for her own good. She knew their family would have supported Woo Hee, but the woman had refused their help.

A week before the wedding, Woo Hee committed suicide, and the trauma of coming home from work to find his fiance hanging from the ceiling had been too much for Baek Ah.

Having sworn off relationships with women, Baek Ah lived a solitary life- one that the family tried their best to respect.

"Get a dog," Soo said instead.

* * *

That evening, Soo walked towards her bedroom after putting her girls to bed and pressing twelve kisses to Mi's knee and ankle. Soo wrapped her shawl closer over her shoulders as she padded down the stairs, making sure her slippers were silent against the wood. The house was dark save for a few yellow lights that showed her the way back to her room.

"Mrs. Hae." Soo turned her head as she heard a voice from the first floor. Stepping away from the stairs, Soo raised her eyebrows at Chae Ryung.

"Yes?" she asked. The governess was dressed casually in a gray sweater and jeans. Soo watched as Chae Ryung cleared her throat.

"I… I noticed Wang So is still here," the governess stated slowly. "If I'm not prying, may I ask why?"

Soo pulled her shawl closer and tipped her head to the side. Her hair fell against her shoulder as she pondered Chae Ryung's question. "He's still here because Mi's injury was not his fault. I strongly believe in second chances and Wang So has not breached my trust."

Chae Ryung walked with her to the master bedroom and Soo nodded goodnight to the governess. She watched her children's tutor walk back to the servants' quarters. Soo closed the door to her bedroom and let her hand linger on the doorknob, feeling the cold metal beneath her fingertips.

"I'd like to be alone tonight," she said quietly.

The shadow that leaned by the door to the balcony stood and Soo turned to face Wang So. He wore a sweatshirt that did not match his sweatpants, but even those looked wonderful against his body. So did not move. "I came to apologize," he murmured.

"For what?" Soo moved to stand by her vanity. She pressed a hand to the cold, flat surface of her makeup stand and looked at So. No matter the time of day, he was always nice to gaze upon. His dark hair fell toward his eyes and his veiny forearms showed from where he pushed his sleeves back. "You didn't do anything."

So nodded and Soo closed her eyes. "For that," he stated. "I should have been closer. I should have-"

"There's no use in apologizing for something you didn't do," Soo snapped. She narrowed her eyes at So and he bowed his head. A pregnant silence rested between them and Soo waited for So to speak.

"If my actions or inactions have caused you to rethink our…" he began. Soo craned to listen to what So thought of their relationship. She wanted to know what he would say. She knew he was just as surprised as the rest of the household that she had not fired him. "If I've given you cause to rethink our arrangement, then I unders-"

"What?" Soo felt her chest clench and she grasped the side of her vanity, completely taken off guard. _"Arrangement?"_ she hissed, anger and hurt filling her voice. In her current state of mind, Soo caught every single word her partner said with an intense scrutiny. She stared at So as he continued to watch her. "Is that what I am to you? An arrangement?"

She wanted to ignore the hurt in So's gaze. The sheen of false hope that glimmered in the eyes that expressed too much compared to their stoic owner. "Isn't that what we are?" So asked quietly. "You're married, Soo. I'm your side piece- the person you go to when your husband isn't around. I know you don't feel for me the way I do you. You're too far for me to touch and I can only have you when you call me." Soo endured each blow his words administered, but she could not fight back- not when his words rang true- not when he was too right to contradict.

Her mouth opened but nothing came. She faltered as his words rang in her mind. When he approached her, she did not move. Soo stared into the pain and regret in So's eyes as his knee touched hers before pulling back. She wanted him to come closer and craved his touch against her skin, but she could not ask that of him. Not now.

"I think… I think we should stop this," he admitted. So's gaze fell away from hers and Soo blinked at the abruptness of his statement. She stared at the side of his face as he looked away. "Whatever you say, I know I'm the reason Mi is hurt and… I'm not good enough for you. We're not balanced," he murmured.

"What?" Soo whispered. She blinked rapidly, trying to comprehend as So's warm lips pressed to her forehead. Rooted to her spot, Soo could only accept the gentle gesture, relishing those fleeting seconds between them. She did not understand his words. Unbalanced? What was so unbalanced about them? What was he talking about?

"We say we're partners, but… but I'm a- a hi-" So stopped and Soo watched him rethink his words. "You deserve someone better than a bodyguard that can't keep his word. Someone better than me." So took a step back from her and Soo watched as he slowly turned away.

"So," she whispered his name. "So."

"Goodnight, Soo."

When the door closed, Soo sat down on the stool by her vanity, her legs losing the strength that had been keeping them up.

Why did she feel so empty? Her heart ached and her hands shook. He was right. They were an arrangement, but why did it hurt so much to watch him walk away?

Soo gasped when she looked into the mirror and saw tears streaming from her eyes. She pressed a hand to her mouth and choked on her sob. Clutching at her chest, she tried to contain herself but could not.

And the worst part was that she did not know why she was crying. She was married and had children. There was no reason she should be hung up over losing a mistake on her part, but all she knew was that she wanted So to stay by her. She wanted him to remain by her side- and not just as a bodyguard.

He was worth too much to her. He had provided her with so much, but she did not know if she had reciprocated enough. She did not know how she felt for So, but it was much more than friendship and went further than casual sex. With him, she felt alive.

But now, he seemed not to want her.

* * *

 **Thank you thank you thank you to my lovely beta reader Krys. You're an inspiration and I love you.**


	25. Tease

**Happy Lunar New Year, everyone! May you receive many blessings!**  
 **여러분 새해복 많이 받으세요!**

* * *

 **Wang So**

Standing with his back against Soo's door, So's heart tore in half as he listened to the woman he loved cry… and it was all his fault. He heard each inhale, each choked sob. She was too close to the door and he could not bring himself to leave- not when he wanted to rush in and hold her and chase her sorrows away.

 _It's for the best_ , he decided. Better to love from afar than lose someone close. _I can't let her get hurt because of me. Let her believe I think we're not meant to be together. She'll get over me and I'll watch her from afar. I'll protect her._

He held his hands to his face as Soo cried, swallowing his pining.

Tearing himself away from the door, So took a step forward and then another, and another, and another until he could not hear anything but the dead silence of night. The dim house felt eerie and the atmosphere heavy. As So made his way back to the servants' quarters, he looked at the three closed doors that were beside his. A maid and Chae Ryung- they were the only staff present aside from him. Both slept in their beds, oblivious to what their neighbor had been up to. So wondered if it might be nice to live as normally as the people beside him.

He slept fitfully. Just a few days of sharing a bed with the woman he loved had spoiled him. So tossed and turned on the small mattress, staring at the birds on his walls and wondering how he had gotten into this mess. He could still hear her in his mind, see the hurt in her eyes, feel her soft skin beneath his lips as he kissed her goodnight a final time.

Pulling his duvet over his shoulders, So groaned and tried to justify his actions. No matter how many times he told himself it was because he did not want to hurt her, So did not know if even he believed what he said. Of course he wanted to protect her- he loved her. But did that protection have to come with the termination of their relationship?

 _It's because she doesn't need to stoop to your level,_ he thought. Little pieces of self-doubt and deprecation made themselves known when there were no other thoughts to chase them away. And So believed them. _She's the daughter of a conglomerate and the wife of a revered politician. She already has everything she needs in life- she doesn't need you. You're a dirty hitman that can't do anything right. You promised to protect the thing she cared the most about in the world, but you failed. You can't even do this job right because you fell in love with a married woman._

Of course he had fallen in love with her. So moaned and swore, pressing his face into his pillow as he chided himself. He had never thought himself capable of loving simply because there had never been anything for him to love. His parents? They beat him for breathing the wrong way. His brothers? One ignored his existence and the other was gone.

Now, working for an unknown entity, So had managed to find and fall for the one woman that seemed to just… understand. She cared for him- of that he was sure- but he wondered if she would ever love him the way he did her. He supposed it was karmic that he fell for her. The degenerate hitman falling in love with the rich, married woman. It seemed like a plot from the dramas his mother would watch.

The next morning, So woke and opened his laptop for the first time in weeks, breathing deeply as he enabled a proxy, weaved through firewalls, and opened his bank account and work e-mail.

Slowly but surely, the amount in the account was rising. So's stomach knotted as he looked at the money sent for him to stakeout the Hwang Bo house. They had not even asked for information on the family. All they wanted was for him to remain still and wait until it was time to pull the trigger.

So heard himself laugh at the cruel irony of the situation. He wondered if his benefactors would send a hitman to kill him if they ever found out he had no plans of ever harming Hae Soo or her family. They were paying him by the bucketful to do nothing. Either his benefactors were extremely lazy, extremely rich, or extremely stupid. So could not yet tell which type they were, but he knew he could take down whatever lackey they sent to dispose of him.

Sooner or later, the order to kill the family would come in and So would be like smoke in the wind. He would disappear from his benefactors' gaze and wait until they sent someone else to do his job. So would get rid of any threats to the Hwang Bo house for as long as Soo and her children lived inside it.

For now, with no kill order on the horizon, So shut his laptop and prepared for his day- his first as a newly single man. It would take every ounce of self-restraint not to touch Hae Soo. He would have to recede back into his shell and rebuild the walls she had torn down.

When So exited his bedroom, he was surprised to see Chae Ryung printing Soo's daily schedule. The governess wore a tight expression on her face and she stood by the printer, waiting for it to spit out the sheets of paper that would dictate the staff's movements. "Late start?" he asked, trying to keep himself as composed as possible.

Chae Ryung turned towards him and So watched her snatch a paper from the machine. "No, I had Soo's schedule prepared but she texted me a few minutes ago and said she wasn't feeling well. Said to knock her first two meetings off. Only Yoon is moving as usual. Mi will only be at school in the morning and I'll pull her before recess."

Nodding, So made his way toward one of the bathrooms but paused when Chae Ryung called his name. He stopped in his tracks as the governess sighed. "I'm glad you're still working here."

So offered a tip of his head in response, continuing on his way to the bathroom.

* * *

So went about his day, thinking about Soo and worrying if she was alright. He dropped the girls off at school, helped Mi to get from point A to point B, and went about his work as naturally as possible. Of course there would be no sympathy from the rest of the staff- he was the reason Mi could not walk, and he had carefully hidden and buried any traces of his and Soo's relationship. Nothing was wrong and no one broke up.

He mentally slapped himself when he caught a glimpse of Soo in her room. Eyes red, she sat in a chair and clutched a mug of something steaming. Her knees were pulled to her chest and she wrapped her sweater over her legs, sighing. So held back from going to her. He pulled himself away from holding her against his chest and hugging her so that he could take her sadness.

Every emotion flitted through his mind. He regretted breaking up with her but knew it was for the best. He was sad that he had lost something that meant so much to him, but happy that she was now able to be free from him.

In his mind, his emotions were so cleanly cut that there was no way for him to transfer any semblance of negativity toward the spot dedicated to Hae Soo. He gave her his love, happiness, and pride. His pain and fear, she had forced away from him, destroying the years of terror his parents had instilled. Any other unsavory emotions, he kept to himself.

So retreated to the security offices for the day. It would be better for him to take care of his work away from the house. If he stayed, he would run into Soo and have to face the damage he had inflicted. It was better for him to disappear into his job and blend into the background. That seemed prudent.

He took the stairs up to the second story of the building and opened the opaque, glass door that led him into a room of computers and screens. Men sat at desks, reviewing footage, reading over timestamps, and gruelling over menial tasks that never provided anything worth reporting. They all wore the same white shirts and black pants as per dress code, leaving So to be the only one in a suit. He accepted the bows of the security guards as he made for his office. So ignored those that brought their lunches to their desks and pretended not to see the liquids in open containers that were too close to the computers.

"Team Leader," someone called. So turned at the sound, dropping his hand as it reached for the banister that led to the small loft his office resided on. Making for the source of the voice, So nodded to one of the younger security guards. A head of frosted tips turned towards him and a tattooed hand motioned him over.

"Yes?" So moved to stand behind his subordinate's chair and stared down at the young man that sat at his desk, a cup ramyeon steaming beside his mouse as he pointed to a live image of a boy near the Hwang Bo house. With new, high-tech cameras installed all over the grounds, it did not require any strenuous eye movements for So to figure out who the boy was.

Lee Jung tossed his bike aside before unlocking the Hwang Bo house's front gate and walking in. "Son of a bitch," So growled.

"This boy seems to know the front gate's code," the younger man explained. So narrowed his eyes as he scanned other screens for Jung's movements. The boy plodded through the front lawn and stopped to stare into the little fish pond by the driveway. His yellow parka created an easy target for So's gaze to land on.

"How the fuck..." So hissed. The sudden sound of profanity brought the eyes of the other guards towards him, but So was too busy to care. Dialling Chae Ryung's number, So tapped his foot when she immediately answered, her voice flat.

" _Governess._ "

"This is Wang So," he called, pressing the phone to his ear. So watched Jung continue to stare into the fish pond, admiring the white and gold koi mill around. He sincerely hoped there was no reason to worry. "Is there a reason why Lee Jung is on the front lawn? He seems to know the code to the front gate. Did anyone tell him?"

There was a bout of silence and So glared when he heard Soo's voice. _"Is that my bodyguard? Hang up. If he wants something, he can get it from me._ "

Closing his eyes, So internally groaned as the connection cut. Any attempts to avoid conflict with Soo had been dashed. If not for his own curiosity, then for the security reports, So gritted his teeth before dialling Soo's number.

His thumb tapped against her name on his phone and he walked away from the security guards, trekking up to his office and shutting the door. He made a note to change Soo's name on his phone back to her usual title.

 _Calling: My Darling_

Four rings and So heard Soo. " _Yes?_ " she asked, her soft voice light and airy.

Accessing the live images on his computer, So slouched at his desk and glowered at Jung as he drew smiley faces on the frosted windows of one of the cars with his finger. "Mrs. Hae, why is Lee Jung in possession of-"

" _Oh wow, 'Mrs. Hae?' You're fast, So_." So flinched at her accusatory tone. However, he continued.

"It's a serious security risk for Lee Jung to have any codes to the house," he explained in the most level voice he could muster. He watched as the front door of the house opened. So frowned when Soo appeared in a tight, black hoodie and leggings. He could see each curve of her body accentuated by the stretchy material. She carried a box in one hand and held her phone in the other. So closed his eyes.

" _What I do with the codes to my house is none of your business._ " He opened his eyes and watched her lips move on screen while he heard her from his phone. " _Jung! Honey, thank you for waiting._ " She waved to the boy as he scampered over to where she stood. So exhaled loudly as she patted the boy's shoulder and passed the box over to him. " _Thanks for coming to get your mom's tupperware. Jung, you have to show me that thing your mom told me about- parkour?_ "

So's elbow tipped off of his desk and he groaned audibly, scrutinizing his desktop screen. "Mrs. Hae- you can't-"

" _Your mom says you can jump fences as tall as me!_ "

Jung nodded and grinned. He said something about practicing parkour with his friends and So made a face at the screen.

" _Can you show me, then? Is that wall too tall or can you jump it?_ "

"Soo!" So shouted. He watched her point to the front gate and its surrounding brick wall. Jung nodded and chucked the box over the fence before hugging Soo and letting her ruffle his hair a last time. And, as nimbly as a cat, the boy vaulted over the brick wall and hurtled past the black gate.

So could see Soo clapping as Jung bowed before taking his bike and carrying the box back to his home. " _Mr. Wang, I hope you enjoyed that show,_ " Soo said as she pressed her phone to her ear. " _I don't feel safe living in a house that a dedicated teenager can break into… so come home and make me feel safe._ "

He blinked at the sudden request and So coughed, suppressing any reaction he felt towards Soo's soft whine. The reprimanding he was going to give her for giving out gate codes flew away from his mind, and instead of any coherent thoughts, all he could manage were scattered half-sentences that hardly connected in grammar or logic.

"I- _ahem-_ it's your fault he came in the first place- your codes- the house. Mrs. Hae, I don't think there's any situation my presence requires. You could have injured a young boy, and… and we're not… we're not together. I would ask that you don't…" His mouth dried when Soo gently stretched her arms and legs out, innocently tilting her chest towards the camera So currently stared through.

" _The reasons you gave me for our breakup were bullshit, so I don't believe you,_ " Soo said cheerily. So swallowed and looked away before his body could react. " _And Jung was never in danger. He's been jumping our gate for snacks since he was thirteen. This is just the first time I've made him do it_."

She saw right through him. So did not know how she was able to tear down his walls so easily. It had been a day and he was already pining for her. " _I think you're guilting yourself because of Mi's accident. I still consider you very much a part of my life, so whenever you're ready, I'll accept either a kiss or a better reason to break up. Have a good day, Mr. Handsome Bodyguard. Oh, and try to smile more. Even if you're unhappy, it always helps… and I really like seeing you smile._ "

The call ended and So tipped his head back against his seat. "Goddammit, Hae Soo," he swore. Through the corner of his eyes, he continued to watch the video feed of the woman he loved.

Soo held her arms against the cold and shivered. So felt his lips pull against his teeth as he chuckled toward his ex-girlfriend. She hopped in place a few times to get her blood running. "Go inside, dummy," So murmured.

He continued to gaze at Soo, watching her breath fog as she bounced on her heels, waiting for something- someone. So did not move from his seat but maintained his vigilance, allowing him the small pleasure of looking at Soo.

Her jacket and leggings clung to her body, only pulling his eyes to her hips and chest. He wanted to go to her, but that was out of the question. It was selfish of him to wish that she was waiting for him even when he knew full well he would not give in to her wants.

Soft footsteps ran up the stairs to his office and So minimized his screen as he prepared to face whichever of his subordinates were heading his way. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and cleared his throat, adjusting the black tie wrapped around his neck.

There was a knock and So looked up.

"Enter," he said, facing the door as his subordinate opened it.

"Mr. Wang, here are the receipts for this month as well as the typed reports." He set an orderly deck of papers onto So's desk as well as a folder of documents before pausing. So reached for the clipped pile as his subordinate continued to speak. "May I ask why Mr. Hwang Bo's car has been consuming almost triple the amount of fuel Madam Hae's car has been taking?"

So's hand stilled.

The commute between the Blue House and the Hwang Bo house was almost equal to that of Soo's office in her father's building and the house. So did the calculations in his mind, silently growing angrier as he realized Wook's cheating was a long-term relationship. _Because he's still cheating on his wife, and that requires a distance commitment and commute._

So wondered if he should take it upon himself to find the woman Wook was seeing. If he disposed of her, would Wook return to making Soo happy again? So loathed the idea of anyone but himself loving Soo, but she was tied to her husband, and Wook could make her happy if he tried. So disposed of his thoughts on the matter. There was no reason he should make his life more complicated than it already was.

Looking up at the young man, So shook his head. "Politicians travel," he stated. He did not bother providing any other explanation, and the security guard took his leave.

Sitting at his desk, So went over security details, his eyes skimming over shoddily typed reports on CCTV activity. Of course- and as always- there was nothing to report. As an inhabitant of the house his subordinates wrote reports on, So knew exactly what happened when it happened. There was nothing new for him to learn.

He checked his e-mail and read over the next set of schedules Chae Ryung sent him. The monotony of his work made it easier for him to forget his conversation with Soo, and So made a note of the time Wook and his bodyguard would return from France. In just a few hours, Soo would have her husband back.

So ached to think he was leaving her with no one but her cheating husband. He hoped Wook knew what kind of a woman he was giving up with his infidelity. It was unfathomable to So that Wook would cheat on Soo… but it was Wook who was her husband- not he. There was nothing he could do to make Wook love Soo, but at least Wook was a safe person for her to be with.

 _Better a cheating husband than a faithful hitman._

* * *

So returned to the house an hour before Wook was scheduled to arrive. He entered through the back door and made for the servant's quarters in search of Chae Ryung.

Walking into their designated area, So wandered around the empty lounge and even knocked on Chae Ryung's bedroom. The governess was nowhere to be found and So wondered if Soo was keeping her close.

"Have you seen Chae Ryung?" he asked to a passing maid. The older woman frowned before pointing him in the direction of the living room.

So moved briskly, going through the large house in search of the governess. He hoped not to run into Soo just because he did not know what she would do if they met. She had made it clear that she would wait for him, but So did not want to be waited upon. The temptation to just drag her into his arms was already pulling at him, but the additional, welcoming invitation to do so only made him seek her further. So gritted his teeth as he chided himself for being so easily swayed.

He entered the living room and froze. Instead of Chae Ryung, Hae Soo stood in the living room, dressed in a low-cut top and tight jeans, her hair tied back. So was given a clear view of Soo's bra as she set a cake down onto the table. "Oh, hello," she said as she looked up. Soo smiled gently before turning to gaze around the room. They were the only two people inside. "I remember how you pinned me down and ate me out in this room," she said quietly.

So bit the inside of his cheek and gripped the deck of receipts tightly, letting the paperclip dig into his palm. He stood still as Soo walked towards him, her hips swaying ever so slightly. He held his breath as she stepped up to him, her hands touching his tie.

"Maybe you can do it again sometime," she teased.

 _Focus. Focus. Don't let yourself get distracted. She's married. She's your employer._

"Your husband is… at the gate," So muttered, mustering every ounce of self-control within his body. They both heard the sound of gravel crunching.

It was seconds before the front door opened and Soo moved away from him.

So stepped back from Soo as Wook smiled at his wife. "Hello, darling," the politician called. Dressed in a blue suit and red tie, Wook looked too formal compared to his wife, but he seemed not to care. So averted his eyes as Wook pressed his lips to Soo's. "Where are our babies? Daddy brought gifts!"

So knew where the children were. Mi was in the sitting room while Yoon was in her bedroom, tuckered out. He stood by as Wook and Soo walked to the sitting room together. He discerned the sound of happy exclamations and declarations that Mi was the bravest little girl in the world. There were kisses, laughter, and So remembered whose arms Soo would return to… and they did not belong to him.

"Mi, didn't you choose Daddy's welcome home cake?" Soo asked.

"Mm, I can't wait to have some," Wook replied. "But first, can you wait just a little bit, princess? Daddy wants to shower and change."

So pretended not to look as Wook's arm wrapped around Soo's waist, his hand drifting towards her bottom. "I've missed all three of my girls, but those jeans make me miss you the most."

Whether he imagined the apologetic glance Soo shot his way, So could not tell. He was too far from the master bedroom to correctly discern her expression, but either way, he felt his heart sink when the bedroom door closed behind her.


	26. Roleplaying

**Attention, readers! I've been really busy these days and have a mind to stop posting on and solely post on AO3 because I feel that not a lot of people read on this site. So let me know if you'd like me to keep posting here because if not, then I'll stop. Thanks!**

* * *

 **Hae Soo**

It was frustrating how little So looked at her anymore. She could tell he was forcing himself away from her, and that annoyed her even more. If they met eyes, he glanced away. If she actively sought him out, he actively avoided her.

With her husband back in town, she could not call So to her bedroom, nor could she sit around with him, holding his hand and just talking about life. Wook was home and that meant she was a wife again.

Of course, Soo was not without her own tricks. She knew So felt just as connected to her as she did him, so instead of waiting for him to slowly figure out that no, she did not want anyone better than him, Soo decided to speed the process up by enticing him.

And what better way to do that than with tight outfits, ruffles in the right places, and _accidentally_ dropping things that had to be picked up.

She heard him snap pens, listened to Chae Ryung gripe about the lack of writing utensils in the lounge, and quietly ordered more ballpoints just so So could snap them all over again. She was going to win this war, and if her boyfriend wanted to break all of the pens in the house, she would let him do it.

Soo hummed as she sat on the sitting room sofa. Her current method of enticement was a black pair of leggings and a loose top that was cut so low, she needed a bandeau instead of a regular bra. Her entire back was bared to whoever wished to see, and Soo had already seen the remnants of So's shattered pencil in the trash… but she had yet to catch him staring.

"Mr. Bodyguard," she sang into open air. It was a few seconds before So was beside her, his hands behind his back and his eyes pointing anywhere but her glaringly obvious breasts.

"Yes?" he asked. At this rate, Soo imagined the only way Wang So would make up his mind and come back to her was if she appeared in his bedroom, naked. She briefly entertained the idea before shooting it down. There was no way she would not get caught lurking in a place where she and her family refrained from ever entering out of courtesy.

"If the house suddenly caught on fire, who would you save first?" she asked. Soo wanted him to say he would save her, but she knew her partner was too smart to say that. She wanted him to show her what kind of facade he had erected between them.

"The guide book says I should protect you, but seeing as Mi is also in the house, my first priority would be her," So replied smoothly. Soo pouted when he did not even look her way.

"Mr. Bodyguard, do you like my outfit?" Soo laid onto the sofa, stretching out so he could see her fully. She held her arms over her head and tipped her head back, watching an upside-down image of her bodyguard. She bit her bottom lip, wanting to laugh at her own antics. "I chose it for you, you know. Do you prefer lots of skin or full coverage… or do you prefer me in nothing?" she asked.

Soo smirked when So coughed and turned his head away from her. She was getting to him. "If that's all you need," he stated, "I'll give you your privacy." He moved to go but Soo caught his hand before he could leave.

Holding his palm, she flipped over and gently tugged on his warm knuckles, dragging her fingertips against the veins of his hands. So took a step towards her and Soo looked up at his blank expression. His face was devoid of emotion, but Soo acted anyways, pulling him closer.

Foregoing her outgoing persona, she returned to normalcy for just a moment, wanting to touch and hold So even for a little while.

She caressed his hand before kissing the lightning-shaped scar on his palm. "I miss you," she whispered. She wanted him to know how she felt- how much she wanted him back.

His hand quivered and Soo let go. She leaned into his touch when his thumb stroked her cheek, his fingertips just beneath her chin. She looked up at where So stood, towering over her. Then, his touch was gone and Soo knew. His little sign was more than enough to act as motivation and she was prepared to do whatever it took to have him again.

She sat up after he left. Running a hand through her hair, Soo combed any messy parts that resulted from her rolling around. She breathed deeply before nodding.

"Okay," she whispered, steadying herself. She needed to return to reality.

She went about her day as usual, dressed in the type of clothing she had not looked at since marrying Wook. Soo could feel the staff sending her strange looks. Maids turned for second and third glances, the cook dropped a cutting board, and Chae Ryung almost ran into a wall.

Sitting in her office, Soo worked and occasionally glanced up when Yoon bounced into the room. She spoke with her daughter and listened to the little girl's rambling sentences as she went through documents and read over the charts on her desk.

She clicked her tongue at how much the Hae Group's lobbyists were using to bring more politicians into their folds. Wook himself was a powerful asset, but one person only equalled one vote in the president's cabinet and in Parliament.

Because the tax on foreign imports had failed to pass, Soo found herself at odds with the heads of other companies that vied to decrease the value of the Hae Group's stocks. Their shares would have gained so much from a tax on their competition, but the president had interfered, and the tax had been shot down.

She peeled her gaze away from her stock indexes as her secretary stepped into the office. Soo passed three folders to the young woman that worked for her. "Take those to my office at the main building and file them. Schedule a lunch for myself, my brother, and Mr. Song on Friday. I need you to send a mass email to everyone under my payroll. Wish them a happy new year and tell them I expect this year to be better than the last. Formal for whoever works for me in the Hae building and personal for my home staff."

Her secretary nodded, her head bowed over her cell phone as she typed Soo's requests. "I have the Giwa House on Friday at one thirty," she said. Soo nodded as Yoon crawled beneath her desk and sat against her feet.

"And the email?"

"Fellow colleagues, I am so happy that a new year has arrived. Thank you all for-"

"No." Soo shook her head. "Make it more formal and save the 'thank you' for last. Send me a draft and I'll go over- actually, I'll just write it. You go and file those and- oh! Gifts!"

Soo snapped her fingers and held a finger up. "We need New Year's gifts for the staff. A box of rice cakes each for the entire security team. Two boxes of chocolates for the maids. Um…" Soo opened a drawer in her desk and removed a folder of lists of past gifts. She flipped through pages of brands and price tags, searching for inspiration. "The gardener gets rice cakes as well… For Chae Ryung, I want you to pick out something nice from Mont Blanc. That and a bottle of white from my personal wine cellar."

Soo watched her secretary nod as she continued to type away at her phone. Chae Ryung was too integral to the family to lose with a misplaced gift, so Soo and Wook always made sure to thank their children's governess with the best presents. Chae Ryung had been the first person to join the house's staff, becoming a nanny when Mi was just a few weeks old. From designer handbags to first-class plane tickets for weekends off, Chae Ryung was well reimbursed for her pains in managing the house and teaching the children while also acting as Soo's second secretary and Wook's assistant, if necessary.

"And the bodyguards?" Soo looked up at her secretary's question.

Pausing, Soo realized she had forgotten about Wook's bodyguard and- most importantly- So. She wondered if there was a way she could give So something special without giving anything away. Would he like whiskey? Did he drink beer? She had never seen him touch alcohol… but she remembered him staring at cases of soju when they had been out together. He seemed to miss the taste of alcohol and Soo knew there were rules in place that prevented the staff from touching hard liquor.

"Get them each a bottle of aged soju. You know- that kind with the black bottle."

"Hwayo? That's well below the price range of even the security guards. The rice cakes cost much more than that."

Soo cleared her throat and nodded before slowly flipping through her folder again. "Then we'll get them each a bottle of whiskey along with whatever aged soju tastes best. Set a price range at half of Chae Ryung's gift."

Her secretary left with a bow and Soo cleared her desk before peeking under the table. She smiled at her baby dinosaur as the little girl hugged a stuffed shark, singing softly. "Yoonie, Mommy's going to call grandpa. Wanna do it with me?" she asked.

Yoon perked up and beamed. Soo opened her arms to her daughter and let her youngest climb onto her lap. She hugged Yoon close and opened a video call on her computer, checking her schedule to make sure the time was right.

Soo smiled when her father immediately answered the call.

Hae Ha Jin was a stern man with white hair. Soo wondered if he had just gotten home from work because he wore a suit even though she could tell he was in his office at home. It was the very room she and Baek Ah had run in and out of, playing at their father's feet or hiding beneath his desk and waiting- and failing- to scare him.

The chairman enjoyed punctuality over anything and always maintained dignity in everything he did. However, for as strict as he was as an employer and father, he was a doting grandfather. He had been unrelenting to his children when they were little, constantly pushing their studies and hiring more and more tutors for them to learn beneath. Soo remembered holding her brother's hand and whining to him about how they were the only ones at their school with six tutors each. Baek Ah had sighed and told her they were the only ones whose governess was allowed to hit them for insubordination.

But as soon as her father had laid eyes on a newborn Mi, he had melted. Soo remembered the moment her infant had wrapped the fearsome chairman around her little finger, turning the strict old man into a smiling father and adoring grandfather. The exact same scenario had occurred for Yoon as well. Soo knew her father was worse than Baek Ah and Eun combined when it came to spoiling her children.

"Hello, my darlings," the chairman called.

"Grampa!" Yoon shouted. "Yoonie's here!"

Soo laughed when her father pretended to be shocked, clapping his hands and declaring he had not recognized Yoon. "Look how big you are! Hwang Bo Yoon, you must be as big as Grandpa now! How did you grow so much?"

Yoon pretended to eat her shark and Soo laughed with her father when her daughter stuffed her face with imaginary meat. "Yoonie eats and eats," her daughter declared. "Yoonie's a big girl! Bigger than Mi!"

"Hi, Dad," Soo said. She smiled at her father and basked in his warm gaze. The old man cooed at his granddaughter before turning to his daughter with a grin. "How are you?"

The chairman pressed a hand to his chin and cleared his throat before glaring at something above his screen. "Your idiot brother bought me the wrong type of medicine for my cough, so now I've been hacking up a storm-"

"I bought you the exact medicine you told me to!" Baek Ah's indignant shout sounded off-screen and Soo laughed as her daughter shouted for him to show himself. "Soo, don't listen to him. I got him the exact medicine he texted me to get."

Baek Ah's face popped on-screen and he waved to Yoon who eagerly waved back.

"As I was saying," the chairman snapped, pushing Baek Ah's face away. He turned towards the clingy thirty-six-year-old man beside him and clicked his tongue. "Son, if you wanted to intrude on my special time with my daughter and grandbaby, then you should have bought me the right medicine!"

"Oh come on, old man! That's my sister and niece!"

"Uncle!" Yoon screeched. Her shout dragged the gazes of both men on the computer screen and she giggled when they stared at her. Soo let Yoon climb onto her desk and sit in front of the screen to show her uncle and grandfather all of her teeth. "Yoonie wants to play with you. Come to Yoonie's house!"

"What about Grandpa, Yoonie? Grandpa misses Yoonie so much!" the chairman declared. His eyes narrowed and his voice grew strict when he addressed Soo. "Hae Soo, where's my first grandbaby? Where's Hwang Bo Mi?"

Soo chuckled and shook her head, pulling Yoon back onto her lap. "Hwang Bo Mi is currently attending school. She'll call you when she's done. Dad, did you get the documents I sent you? I know my secretary got them to Baek Ah-"

"And Baek Ah delivered the files himself." Her father affirmed his words with a nod. "Along with the wrong type of medicine."

Soo smirked when her older brother threw his hands up in frustration. Her father asked again if Yoon missed him and the little girl promptly shook her head before smugly giggling when the chairman pouted. Soo smoothed her daughter's hair as she listened to her father and brother chat with Yoon.

"Soo, how is Wook?" her father asked. The chairman leaned back in his seat as Soo extracted a pen from Yoon's fist.

A rush of cynical thoughts flew through her mind and Soo hummed softly. "He's busy these days. You know- work. He just got back from Paris."

Her father's lips pressed into a fine line but he said nothing. Soo wondered what her father might think of So. Her bodyguard was the same age as Wook and worked a job that required a high level of expertise. He was smart, caring, and funny. Soo had never seen her bodyguard drink, but she imagined So was no lightweight. So and her father would get along well if they met.

"Tell your husband his father-in-law wants to have dinner sometime," her father said. "Bring the children and we'll all get together for a meal. I hear from Baek Ah you haven't fired your bodyguard? Good for you. I was worried I was going to have to step in after you got rid of the last one within two weeks. Do you remember when I had to fire your guard when you were little?" The chairman raised his eyebrows and Soo blushed. She glared at her brother when he snickered.

"It's good that you're protected," their father continued. "I hope this one stays. If you haven't fired him for this long, then I'm sure there's something about him that makes him better than the rest."

It took all of Soo's self-control not to blush. Instead, she inhaled sharply and removed another pen from Yoon's grasp. "No playing with Mommy and Daddy's pens," she snapped. "Remember when you broke one and got ink in your eye?" Yoon began to whine and Soo sucked on her teeth. "No, Hwang Bo Yoon."

Soo looked up when her father chuckled. "Who would have thought a troublemaking little girl like you would become a mother- and a strict one at that."

"I'm not strict. You and Baek Ah are just irrational," Soo said with a glare. She glanced down when Yoon slid off of her lap, demanding a pen. Standing, Soo picked her daughter up and sighed. "I don't care how much you love my kids- some things are off limits."

Yoon squirmed in her arms and Soo nodded, rocking her. "It's naptime, Dad. I have to put this monkey to bed."

"Not a monkey!" Yoon shouted. "Dinosaur! Dinosaur!"

"Say 'bye-bye' to Grandpa," Soo said, crouching so Yoon could see the screen again. She waited for the little girl to speak, but Yoon only glared at her grandfather and uncle before turning away from them. Soo smiled as her daughter buried her face against her neck.

"Bye, Yoonie! Grandpa misses you!" the chairman called.

"Have a good nap, Niece!" Baek Ah said. Both men laughed when Yoon began to cry.

Groaning, Soo ended the call and began rocking her daughter. "Is it time for a nap?" she asked. "Let's get Yoonie in bed for a nice, long nap."

"Don't wanna." Yoon shook her head and Soo nodded as her daughter complained.

"Alright. Then we'll just lay in bed and chat. Okay?"

"No."

Soo carried Yoon into her bedroom and kicked past the dolls that were scattered on the floor, almost stepping on a stray piece of train tracks. She unmade Yoon's bed and lowered her daughter onto the mattress before laying down beside her.

Yoon squirmed beneath the covers but curled closer. Her little hands played with the low cut of Soo's shirt, wrapping the soft material around her wrists. Soo watched as her daughter grasped her bra and pulled at it. "Yoonie wants So," Yoon said. "Yoonie wants So. Naptime with So."

Frowning at her daughter's request, Soo chuckled and closed her eyes, adjusting her clothing. "Mr. So is working. He's busy, so he can't have naptime with you."

Soo smiled when Yoon wiggled against her before lying still. She stroked her daughter's hair, feeling the soft fluff that would inevitably tangle and become a mess after naptime. They laid around for awhile and Soo patted Yoon's chest, checking her watch and watching ten minutes tick by.

When Yoon fell asleep, Soo crept downstairs.

She peeked into the sitting room where Mi was learning math from Chae Ryung. The two sat on the floor together, working through math problems. A stack of books sat beside Chae Ryung, prepared for use. Soo counted the books: two math, two science, one Korean, two English, and two history. She decided her father was right that she was a strict parent, but she knew it was all to make sure her girls grew well.

Mi toiled away over math problems and Soo watched as her daughter smiled when she got through a particularly challenging one. Chae Ryung patted Mi's head before flipping the page and explaining the lesson further.

Soo turned away from the sitting room when she heard the front door opening. Wang So stepped into the house and took his shoes off. He glanced at her and Soo paused, wondering if he would speak to her or even come near.

Instead, her bodyguard bowed and walked past her. As he stepped around her, Soo closed her eyes and inhaled, collecting whiffs of soft laundry detergent and cologne. He smelled clean and familiar, safe and warm.

She missed him.

* * *

 **Thank you so much to the amazing and beautiful, Krysyuy. You are awesome.**


	27. Hae

**Hi all, I'm sorry this chapter is a day late.**

 **I've been struggling with some aspects of real life and don't know if I can publish as often anymore. I do have a few chapters pre-written, so I will be able to post about once a week until they run out, but I don't know if I'm currently able to keep writing. This story means the world to me, but after having a mental breakdown, I've decided to slow things down and take some time to myself.**

 **I'm sorry to those that enjoy my story; I'll try to make it up to you guys once my life calms down.  
** **Thank you all so much. I truly love every one of you.**

 **-PB**

* * *

 **Hwang Bo Wook**

Groaning, Wook let cold water douse his entire body, fighting the urge to twist the shower handle and bathe in hot water.

He replayed their argument in his mind, trying to figure out why she had been so angry. He understood that she had a right to be, but was it enough to justify a pause in their relationship?

 _"Why didn't you tell me you were going to Paris? I couldn't call you for days!"_

 _"I forgot to call you—you realize I'm running a country, don't you? I am the president's right hand."_

 _"Oh please. You couldn't call me once? Were your fingers broken? Was your wife next to you?"_

 _"Si Yeon, don't be absurd. I was just busy."_

 _"Too busy to tell me you were leaving? Too busy to send a single message?!"_

He rubbed his eyes and sighed, spitting the water that had accumulated in his mouth. Wook shut the shower off and thought about his week back in Korea.

After getting used to the time zone, he had gone straight to his apartment—a small, secluded flat just outside of Seoul. It was where he met with Si Yeon, often spending hours and full evenings with her.

He had expected a warm embrace, happy kisses, and hours of rough sex. What he received was a cold glare and a firm 'no'. The bottle of wine he had brought from France was left unopened and Si Yeon left in a huff, shouldering the fur coat Wook had gifted her that year. He wondered how much Si Yeon actually loved him if a single missed phone call was enough for her to go ballistic on him.

Wook later came home to a wife that wore less—though it was still below zero outside. Soo's wardrobe had suddenly changed while he had been in France, and—given the circumstances—he found that he did not hate that his wife began wearing shorter, tighter, and lacier garments.

Every day, it was something different. A slim, black dress one day, a sheer blouse the next.

Si Yeon did not answer his texts and Wook looked down at his phone less and less.

He saw skin outside of the bedroom and glimpsed the curve of Soo's bottom, the swell of her breasts, and even the pink peaks of her nipples through her new wardrobe. Slowly, he began to notice his wife in a different light—one that had not colored his vision for a very long time.

One day, she had carried Yoon against her hip, wearing a red dress that had outlined everything necessary. Wook had resisted the urge to drag his wife into the bedroom and fuck her then. Instead, he stood by and watched as she carried their daughter into the kitchen for a snack...

Wook stepped out from their shared bathroom and made for his wife's closet before his own, glancing inside to see Soo standing before her full-length mirror.

She wore a small top made of gray lace that dipped far to reveal much of her chest. Beneath it was a pair of tight pants that drew Wook's eyes to his wife's bottom.

He stepped closer, tipping his head forward to kiss her shoulder. "Are you enticing someone?" he asked. Soo jerked in surprise and Wook kissed her skin again as droplets of water from his drenched hair fell onto her brazenly exposed body. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled his wife close and brought her knuckles to his lips, caressing her skin.

"I just… I wanted to try something new. It's been awhile since I dressed like this," she said quickly.

Wook nodded and stared into the mirror, meeting eyes with his wife. They had not had sex since he had left for France. He wondered if this was her not-so-subtle way of reminding him to make love to her.

He brought her wrist close and inhaled her soft, rosy scent. There was something different about the way she smelled. Something musky and faint laced her skin, but Wook could not place what it was. Soo usually wore his sweatshirts to bed when he left the country, so he wondered if it was his old self she smelled like. In any case, he wanted his wife and they both had time.

"I think," he murmured, "we can both do for a bit of time in bed. Hm?"

He kissed a line up Soo's throat as she exhaled slowly. Wook touched the goosebumps that appeared on his wife's arms as she closed her eyes. "Have you missed me?" he asked.

She melted to his touch and Wook cupped his wife's breasts, squeezing and kneading them as she leaned back against him. He ran his thumbs over her rising nipples and gently pinched them through her flimsy top, listening to her sigh.

"Not today," Soo whispered. She turned to face him and Wook gazed down at his wife, accepting her gentle kiss. Holding her hips, he deepened their embrace, running his tongue over hers and tangling his fingers in the lace of her top. Soo's moan vibrated against his lips until she pulled away.

Their lips parted with ease and he released her. Soo reached for a shawl to cover her shoulders. "The girls will be up. I need to get Mi prepared for school. She's going back today."

"She can dress herself for once and do her hair on her own," Wook said. He reached to hold Soo's hand but missed when she slipped away from his grasp. "Baby, stay."

Soo walked out of their bedroom and Wook sighed before dressing in his usual suit and tie. He would spend the day at work before coming home and going to his in-laws' house.

He stepped out and greeted his secretary, glancing over his day's itinerary as well as the weather report. While reading, his eyes strayed to the two bodyguards that lingered in the hallway.

Wook wondered if Soo would be against trading her bodyguard with his. Of course, Wang whatever-his-name-was had already proven himself more than capable at handling the household's entire security team. He kept it working smoothly and efficiently, cutting back on excess costs and replacing whatever was necessary—both people and useless cameras. That was why the newer bodyguard had been promoted over the older one as head of the entire security team.

Wook looked over the two men that awaited orders. One was tall and lean, his body built from the amount of exercise he committed to when he was not working. His expression was always contorted into a glare-like grimace. The other bodyguard was shorter and thicker, his face only menacing when he wanted it to be.

 _A switch in bodyguards would change some monotony…_ He knew his bodyguard was only necessary when he went to work. Wook always left the guard somewhere or sent him to some aimless task when he met with Si Yeon. Then again, she seemed to not want anything to do with him...

Shaking his head, Wook decided against switching guards. The new one was obviously more adept at monitoring people and smarter than the old one, judging by how diligent he was when he was with Soo. Wook would never be able to slip the new one.

 _Plus, the girls are more used to having the new one take them around their schedules._ Mi and Yoon seem to like Soo's guard more than his and Wook knew it took quite a bit of maneuvering to get on Mi's good side.

Wook was protective of both his children, but his past mistakes had caused him to become even more so, leading to him personally vetting any staff that could possibly come in direct contact with Mi. He and Soo still referred to Mi's psychiatrist's notes from years ago when handling their oldest, and it was truly a wonder how much she had opened up to Soo's bodyguard when she had never even spoken to Soo's past guards.

He supposed that because Mi was so in tune with Soo, once Soo got tired of firing her bodyguards left and right for the most minute of actions, Mi also grew out of ignoring the help.

* * *

Wook handed his schedule back to his secretary and nodded to her before entering the dining room and smiling at his daughter. She sat in one of the chairs, the skirt of her school uniform fanning around her swinging legs.

"Good morning, Princess," he said, giving Mi a little kiss. Her hair was wrapped into two little buns on top of her head and Wook playfully bopped one with the tips of his fingers. "These are pretty."

"Mommy did them."

Wook glanced at their shared breakfast of rice and soup before sitting at his usual spot at the head of the table. The morning's headlines were already set onto a rack beside his chair and Wook read over them as he reached for his chopsticks.

"Where's Mommy now?" he asked, taking a bite of rice. Wook reached forward and placed a fried egg onto Mi's rice as she shrugged her shoulders.

"She went to Yoonie's room, but Yoonie started crying." Mi bit into the egg before smiling. Wook grinned back at his daughter and continued to eat, mulling over her answer.

"Yoon is crying because she had a bad dream," Chae Ryung said as she breezed into the dining room. Wook nodded to the governess as she delivered his coffee from the kitchen.

"Oh dear. Did she dream that we were out of her favorite bean buns?" Wook asked.

He chuckled as Chae Ryung and Mi both laughed.

Flipping the pages of his newspaper, Wook read the same news from the perspectives of four different journalists. He looked up whenever Mi spoke and nodded to her questions.

"Mommy says we're going to Grandpa and Grandma's house for dinner today. Is it because you came back from your trip?" she asked. Wook smiled at his daughter's wide-eyed gaze, her stare shining with curiosity.

"No," Wook chuckled. "I think Grandma and Grandpa just really missed you and your sister. You know Uncle Baek Ah is coming over too."

"Does that mean you'll come home early from work?" Mi asked.

Nodding, Wook patted his daughter's head before looking up when two people entered the dining room. "Good morning, Little Dinosaur," he called. "I heard someone had a nightmare."

His youngest child clung to her mother like gum, her little fists bunched into Soo's shawl. Wook smiled and opened his arms as Soo drew closer. "Little Dinosaur missed Mommy and Daddy at night," Soo cooed. "Do we want to go to Daddy?"

Smiling, Wook met eyes with his daughter as she nodded. Yoon's little eyes were red and watering, her pink nose full of sniffles. She blinked slowly, her eyelashes drenched with tears.

Wook let Yoon climb onto his lap and hugged her, rubbing her back. His youngest wore a pink shirt with a penguin on the front and her little legs were wrapped in green leggings with cats on them. "I like your outfit," Wook murmured. He smiled when Yoon burrowed close to his chest, wiping her eyes against his shirt. Wook chuckled as he let her rub her face on him. He would have to wear a vest to cover any stains she left behind, but if it meant being a place for his daughter to put her sorrows—no matter how trivial they were—he was willing to sacrifice any number of shirts to his little girl's tears.

Continuing to eat his breakfast, Wook offered little bites to Yoon who slowly turned and sat with her back against his chest. She opened her mouth like a baby bird and Wook fed his daughter rice from his bowl and blew on pieces of egg so she could eat them.

Soon, his youngest was pointing to the foods she wanted and Wook was only too happy to oblige. He fed his daughter as his wife ate, keeping an eye on both. Soo reached for pieces of grilled tofu and ate them with soy sauce. She cut a few pieces into small chunks so Wook could easily offer them to the dinosaur on his lap.

After breakfast, his wife was at the door with their girls to see him off. Wook knelt to kiss each daughter on the cheek and told them to have a good day. He patted Mi's head and pinched Yoon's cheeks before standing to look at his wife.

Reaching an arm around Soo's waist, Wook slowly lowered his lips onto hers and initiated a kiss much deeper than what they usually gave each other. He embraced his wife hard, holding the back of her neck and tasting her before telling her to have a good day as well. Their children giggled and Wook smiled before waving at his family.

When he returned home from work, Soo was at the door to greet him and Wook kissed her again. "Hi, baby," he murmured against her lips. She had changed out of her skimpy outfits and reverted back to her old style, covering her arms with cashmere and her legs with denim. But Wook could not blame her; they were having dinner at her parents' house.

No matter where they went, Wook loved driving with his family. Nothing made him happier than when he was in the car with no one but his children and his wife. He felt normal in those moments. They were just a little family going to Grandma and Grandpa's for dinner.

Reaching over, Wook held his wife's limp hand as he drove. "What's on your mind?" he asked. Soo stared out the window at the dimming sun and Wook glanced over at her.

"Nothing really." She sighed and turned to look at him. "Mostly work."

Nodding, he squeezed her hand before letting go.

The house Soo grew up in was situated at the top of a secluded hill. It was gated and guarded with protection measures that could rival the president Wook served. It was a mystery how his little wife had managed to escape such tight security as a child.

Then again, Soo was one of the most creative people he knew. No wonder she felt trapped in the giwa compound the Hae family had inhabited for over a century. Too many walls surrounded the property, locking its inhabitants in and keeping strangers out.

"I remember jumping that fence," Soo murmured, pointing to a section of the gate. Wook shook his head and chuckled.

"You were a _terrible_ child."

"I know." His wife sighed and pressed her hands to her face with a groan. "It's a wonder I only have one scar to tell of my escapades—and it's because I fell out of a tree."

"It's a wonder you're still alive," Wook remarked as they pulled into the driveway. He noticed Baek Ah's white Bentley already situated outside the garage. "Soo, when we're inside, I'd rather if you didn't-"

"I won't bring up the tax, but I can't control my parents," Soo replied quietly. "In return, please try not to get into a fight with my brother." They met eyes and Wook nodded.

They exited the car. Wook watched his children run toward the house, eager to greet their grandparents. Mi ran as well as she could on her injured ankle and Yoon bounced beside her sister as they made for the large giwa building with warm lights.

Wook looked upon the house his wife grew up in with mixed emotions. When he had first married Soo, her parents had insisted that they move into the massive villa, offering the western wing of the house to them and their baby. Wook had abhorred the idea of living with his in-laws—mostly because in the initial months leading up to his marriage to Soo, they had treated him as if he was a tumor stuck to their only daughter's life.

To his utter relief, Soo had also hated the idea of moving in with her parents again. His rebellious wife had shut the doors on all plans to renovate the small house beside the villa, and had instead asked her father for a loan to buy a new house for them to live in. It was thanks to his wife that he did not have to see his in-laws every morning and every evening.

The front door opened and Soo's father was there to pick his grandchildren into his arms, hugging them. "Hwang Bo Mi! Hwang Bo Yoon!" the old man called. "Wook, Soo, hurry and come inside—you're wasting time!"

When Wook entered the house, he was greeted by the delicious scent of cooking meat and the sound of his mother-in-law calling his name. "Soo! Wook! My other two children are here!" Smiling, he bowed to his wife's mother as Soo kissed her cheek, walking off to where Baek Ah carried Mi in his arms.

"So, Princess, tell me about school," Baek Ah said. Wook watched with mirth as his daughter threw her hands up and immediately began complaining about some girls in her class.

For how large the house was, there was no lack of liveliness. Yellow lights cast a warm glow over the pale furniture, and instead of priceless paintings or poetry, the hallways were lined with pictures of Mi and Yoon. All of the Hae family's art was scattered between his and Baek Ah's homes.

Where there had once been Soo's and Baek Ah's diplomas and achievements, there were now glossy photos of Wook's children, their happy smiles and tearful tantrums forever preserved on their grandparents' walls. Wook knew his and Soo's wedding portrait was hanging somewhere in the sitting room, as was Baek Ah's graduation photo. After Mi's birth, nothing had mattered to the grandparents more than redecorating the house to display images of their new grandchild.

An image of Mi taking her first steps had replaced the Degas in the foyer. Diplomas, awards, certificates, and achievements were all locked away in storage units, no longer worth bragging about. Hae Ha Jin and Go Myung cared little for anything other than framing HD photos of their granddaughters to hang on the walls of their home. The Cezanne in the living room had been auctioned off to make room for a picture of Mi smiling at her baby sister for the first time.

They ate dinner on the floor, sitting at a low table overflowing with steaming meats, hot soup, fresh rice, and a rainbow of side dishes. Wook sat across from Baek Ah and watched as the children sat beside their grandparents.

Soo spoke with her mother about price hikes in the tuition at Mi's school, declaring it unfair for the children attending on partial scholarship. "I don't care which designer they switch the uniforms to—it's complete bullsh-"

"Daughter," Hae Ha Jin snapped, glaring at Soo. Baek Ah's mouth opened in a barely masked smirk as he pressed his hands over Yoon's ears. The little girl whined and swatted him away.

Chuckling, Wook spooned soup into his mouth as Soo apologized before continuing her rant. "I called for the school to get rid of the uniforms, but no—prep schools have to let the entire world know that they're richer than everyone! What self-respecting elementary school forces children to conform to the restrictions of uniformity at such a young age?"

"Wife, elementary school is the only level of education aside from college that doesn't require uniforms," Wook said. He raised his eyebrows at his wife as Baek Ah frowned. "If anything, I think elementary schools—both public and private—should all install the uniform system. It avoids the mid-education confusion of choosing between conformity and freedom."

Baek Ah shook his head and Wook felt his ire flair. Of course his tattooed, wild child of a brother-in-law would disagree with him. Even on matters they agreed with, Baek Ah would jump the line and advocate for the devil if it meant being at odds with Wook. "Preschoolers like Yoon are dressed the same to avoid confusion when out and about. The teachers need to know where they are because little kids wander. In contrast, elementary schoolers are given the freedom to choose what they want to wear for them to find their individuality," his brother-in-law stated.

"Then why do we take their individuality away in middle school?" Soo immediately demanded. She raised her eyebrows and gazed around the table. "Why not just get rid of uniforms after preschool for all grades?"

"She's right." Wook turned to his father-in-law who nodded serenely. The old man picked up a piece of kimchi with his chopsticks and set it onto his rice. "Why give the children a taste of something and then take it away?"

Hae Ha Jin looked straight at Wook. Their eyes met and Wook tipped his head. Years of debates, endless matches between the other political parties, and years of butting heads with Wang Yo had brought him to this point: a pointless debate with his brother-in-law about the necessity of school uniforms.

"That is why all schools should implement the uniform system. Children have the ability to choose their own personal styles and preferences when they are outside of school," Wook stated, setting his chopsticks down. He held his hands out to gesture two sides of a scale. "School is a place of learning and intellect—not a place for children to stray and compare the price tags of their jeans.

"Korea has come so far only because of the combined effort of all of its students to create a unified method of education that provides an equal chance for each and every student. For some to be able to wear uniforms and others to not be is unfair and tips the system. Uniformity is the key to existence and the barrier against chaos."

He picked his chopsticks back up and narrowed his eyes when Baek Ah shook his head and laughed. "What communist tripe is that? Come on, kids are still going to learn no matter what they wear. Uniforms don't give students uniformity; they're an oppressive force that constrains the creative mind-"

"Let them become creative in college," Wook interjected as he set a piece of meat into Soo's ricebowl. His wife blinked at him, but Wook continued to eat, spooning glazed black beans into his mouth and pointing his spoon at his brother-in-law. Baek Ah glowered at him, but Wook continued. "I attended public school throughout my childhood and wore a uniform even in elementary school. I ended up attending the most prestigious college in the country. Let children focus on studying instead of trivial things like style, and a greater percentage will succeed."

Baek Ah scoffed. "I wore uniforms and grew up without an outlet for my creativity. If it was allowed, I would have jumped at the first chance to express myself through clothing."

"And here you are," Wook said with a forced sigh. "Next in line to one of the country's largest companies. Forgive me if I don't pity you."

They stared each other down until Yoon plopped down onto Baek Ah's lap and showed him Soo's phone. Wook returned to his food, victorious, and he smiled at his wife as she took a sip of wine and hummed.

After dinner, the adults had coffee in the sitting room. Mi sat on her grandmother's lap and babbled about her day, making Wook wish his daughter was as close to his mother as she was to Soo's. His mother-in-law braided Mi's hair, listening to her granddaughter speak about her love of cats. "Mommy won't let me get a cat, though," Mi said, her excited tone taking a melancholic turn. She turned toward her grandfather with wide eyes and Wook muffled his chuckle in his hand as Soo immediately glared at her father.

"Dad, no," she snapped.

"Hwang Bo Mi, when you graduate high school, the first thing Grandpa gets you will be the prettiest, fluffiest kitten in the world, alright?" Hae Ha Jin said. Wook patted his wife's back as she ground out a hard, "No, you won't, Dad."

Wook smiled when Yoon fell asleep in her grandfather's arms, tuckered out from running around the large house and playing with the old maid that had raised Baek Ah and Soo. Yoon breathed softly, her chest rising and falling with ease. She curled against the old man and held his sweater, sucking her thumb as she slept.

It was only on their way home from the in-laws' house that Wook realized his father-in-law had never even mentioned his failure to get a tax passed in parliament. Perhaps visiting his in-laws was not so bad after all. Baek Ah got on his nerves, but Wook knew how happy his children were to see their maternal grandparents. He saw how happy his wife was around her family and wondered if moving closer towards Soo's parents was a good idea.

Holding the steering wheel with both hands, Wook glanced into the rearview and smiled at his children as they slept in their carseats. When he looked at his wife, Soo was staring out her window.

The lights from the passing streetlamps illuminated parts of her face and Wook reached over to hold his wife's hand. Running his finger over the place where she usually wore her wedding ring, he wondered if she had gotten tired of it. Of course, Soo only wore her ring intermittently, unconstrained by celebrity rules. No one knew what she looked like. Wook, however, knew the media would go into a frenzy if he ever took his ring off.

"I'm a bit tired, can you talk to me?" he asked.

During the forty minutes back home, their conversation began with old memories. Wook later chuckled when his wife spoke about her work week, describing agonizing video conferences and meetings with other shareholders about the Hae Group's financial standing. In return, Wook spoke about Paris, telling her about the Eiffel Tower and his large hotel suite that felt too empty without her and the children.

He omitted the part about taking pictures of himself to send to Si Yeon and instead told Soo about how he wished she had been there with him. He would not have been able to see her outside of breakfast and dinner, but he assumed she would appreciate the thought.

Wook regretted giving attention to Si Yeon when she was going to be petty and leave him after he ignored one of her calls.

"We've been in a bit of a low point in our relationship, haven't we?" Wook asked. He took his wife's hand as she remained silent. Running his thumb over her skin, he kissed her knuckles. "I'm sorry I haven't been present in our marriage. I've just been stressed about work." There were no lies in his words, but Wook evaded telling Soo too much. He just wanted to convey that he was sorry for neglecting her and for foolishly letting Si Yeon get to him again. He would not take Si Yeon back; two break-ups were enough. "No matter what, I want you to know that I love you, Hae Soo… my wife… mother of my children. You're the only woman that's ever made me feel this way."

Wook kissed her hand again. "We should go on a trip," he murmured, pulling into their driveway. "Take a break from Seoul. Maybe go to Japan. We can go to the hot springs… or somewhere with warm weather. Take the girls and just play. I think the entire family needs some relaxation."

Wook turned to his wife as she nodded and undid her seatbelt, her lips pursed in thought. "A vacation sounds nice," she agreed.

Wook leaned toward his wife before she could open her door. He pressed his forehead to Soo's shoulder and sighed. Soo's hand touched the back of his neck and Wook closed his eyes as she massaged the tense muscles in his back. "Let's go inside. You need sleep," she murmured.

Wook wanted to retort that he needed her, but nodded instead. He helped Soo carry the children upstairs. Wook undressed Mi and put her in her pajamas as Soo did the same for Yoon. After tucking the girls in, he put an arm around his wife as they retired to their shared bedroom, kissing her cheek and inhaling her scent.

Roses and honey no longer made his head hurt like they used to.

* * *

 **As always, thank you so much to Krysyuy. This story wouldn't have made it past chapter 4 if it wasn't for you.**


	28. Entrance

**Hi! Thank you all so much for the sweet comments on the last chapter—I cannot thank you enough for the support that you have given me in my decision to slow things down a bit. You guys are awesome.**

 **A bit of shameless self-promotion: I recently uploaded a new fic called "Into the Forest" and it is a SoSoo-centric Little Red Riding Hood AU. It's dark, has some plot twists, and is what I wrote to cool my brain off from school and all my other fics. Come celebrate bad decisions with me and we'll see how it goes!**

* * *

 **Hae Soo**

She slept with unease draped over her like a second blanket. Unable to toss and turn without disturbing her husband, she laid in bed every night, staring at the far wall as Wook hugged her from behind, his large frame almost enveloping her.

Soo moaned and stuffed her face into her pillow, shaking her head. She flinched when Wook's hand met her shoulder and he pulled her close. His warm chest welcomed her and Soo laid against her husband, inhaling the deep, piney scent that she had come to label as his. He no longer smelled like anything other than himself. Soo felt her heart pang as she laid her head against Wook's shoulder.

"Can't sleep?" he mumbled.

Blinking back her emotions, Soo nodded. "It's nothing. I'm just…"

"It's okay," Wook said, his hand gently holding the back of her head. Soo closed her eyes in shame when Wook's lips met her forehead. "I'll stay up with you if you want."

"Don't do that, you have work tomorrow," Soo chided. She pressed a hand to her husband's bare chest and Wook hummed, sleep addling his speech. Soo listened to him mumble something before he turned to face her, one of his legs draping over hers.

She laid with her head tucked beneath her husband's chin. Her eyes drifted shut but sleep did not come easily.

When she woke, Soo went about her mornings as she usually did, hiding the fact that her mind constantly drifted to the bodyguard that refused to look at her.

Soo felt her hope fading.

Her skimpy outfits seemed to have worked at first, but So no longer reacted to her, and Soo felt more and more dirty for behaving the way she did. He no longer snapped pens when she brushed past him. His eyes remained glued to his work whenever she entered the room and his voice no longer wavered when he spoke to her. As his employer, Soo knew what she was doing was utterly wrong, but as his ex-girlfriend, she wanted to try anything.

And just a few weeks ago, Wook had kissed her hand and told her he loved her. They had had their first meaningful conversation in such a long time that Soo had remembered how good it felt to speak with her husband. They had laughed together, holding each other's hand. Wook's words had impacted her even though she knew he had a woman on the side.

 _"You're the only woman that's ever made me feel this way."_

Soo was not stupid enough to believe him, but she knew him enough to want to. Wook was the father of her children. She would always thank and love him for that reason. She knew that everything she did was wrong. Her husband slept beside her, but she thought of a different man's arms around her. Her husband kissed and hugged her, but she could only think of Wang So.

He pervaded her every thought. Soo saw him every day, but the more he ignored her, the more she wanted to run up to him, hug him from behind and ask if he still wanted her. She knew everything about him, yet she knew nothing.

If the door to the servants' lounge was open, she could sometimes glimpse him eating lunch or dinner. He followed her everywhere she went, yet they no longer spoke. If Soo tried to make small talk, So offered her the most minimal response before turning away.

She wanted to know how he was doing along with what he was doing. She saw him working, conversing with other members of the staff, and leaving the house to exercise at the crack of dawn. However, she did not know if he was still hurting inside, if he missed her as much as she missed him, if he felt as empty as she did.

At times, he looked stressed. Once he had scanned an area for threats, Soo would watch as he checked something on his cellphone. His face was always blank, but whenever he read what was stressing him out, Soo noticed he took a few steps towards her and did another scan of the area. She wondered what was on his phone that made him feel so protective of her.

Soo thought of all these things as she completed her morning ablutions and dressed, smiling for Wook when he hugged and kissed her. He seemed to like touching her more.

She stepped into Wook's closet and walked past her husband as he buckled his belt. Opening the drawer that held his neckties, Soo's eyes flew over the rolls of silk coordinated in the shades of the rainbow.

As she had when they had first married, through better and worse, Soo chose a necktie for Wook and slipped it around his neck, tying it and patting the knot with the flat of her hand.

"Good morning, dear."

"Good morning, dear."

Thus, her day began.

* * *

 **Wang So**

Every morning, he woke from a night of fitful sleeping. He worked out with tired anticipation. He showered with a cluttered mind.

So checked his other e-mail in search of the order that would tell him to get rid of the Hae-Hwang Bo family. If the message arrived, he would know immediately to be on guard and know how much time he had left to prepare before the people who hired him realized he would not heed their orders.

But with the political world cooling down from the fire Wook's proposal of a tax on imports had caused, So had reason to believe that it was Wook's failure that may have saved his and his family's lives. After all, with the blockage of the tax, So had received an e-mail that had told him he would be taking a pay cut for an extended amount of time, requiring him to remain in place just a bit longer.

So knew that his former self would have already packed his bags and left. He would have been too bored with the job to continue and would have put his name back onto the market, ready to fly off to some other country and handle other people's problems instead of sitting around and watching a woman work and go about her life.

However, his present self stayed and accepted the pay cut because he had a reason to stay. As irrational as it was for him to remain in the same proximity as a former lover, he stayed because he still loved her- because he believed that he could protect her.

He downloaded apps that would notify him of any political movements that might affect Soo and her family. Anything related to Wook's career, So was notified on via notification. Whenever he checked his phone and saw Wook's name, he drifted just a bit closer to Soo.

When he stood in the hallway in the morning, he did so with a fluttering stomach, unable to calm his nerves and too eager to see his ex-girlfriend. So did his best to maintain a poker face but whenever he saw Soo stepping out of her bedroom, dressed in some new type of outfit, he felt his heart leap.

Of all the jobs he had ever had, So found that standing behind Soo as she 'accidentally' dropped a pen for the third time and having to act oblivious as she picked up after her mistakes was the hardest.

He wanted nothing more than to be with her—to be her man. So knew she wanted him as well, but he also knew that she was unaware of just how low he was compared to her. Every morning, So reminded himself not to give in to Soo's advances. Yet, with each passing day, that task grew more and more difficult.

It took everything he had to maintain an indifferent facade and continue working even as Soo played with his emotions.

She brushed past him, leaving a faint trace of her rose perfume behind. She dressed provocatively, only showing the parts of her body So had spent extra time on when they had been in a relationship. She did not have to touch him. One passing glance and So was clamoring for more, holding himself back from expressing his desire for her.

That morning, she wore a shirt that caved down to the small of her back, baring the milky skin that covered her shoulders and spine. Beneath the low cut shirt was a pair of leggings that left so much yet so little to the imagination.

So bowed when Soo passed by him.

"Good morning, Mr. Wang," she murmured.

"Good morning, Mrs. Hae," he replied instantly.

Thus, their day began.

* * *

Standing outside Soo's office, So tried to eavesdrop on the conversation within but found himself having to crane to catch even the slightest noise while the door was closed. "Soundproof?" he murmured to himself. "How?"

He frowned, wondering how the house's infrastructure had been created so that only certain rooms were almost impossible to eavesdrop on. So wanted to figure out which rooms were soundproof. That way, he could pull Soo into the closest one and have her there.

His daydreams of secret escapades were rudely interrupted by his own thoughts. _You broke up with her_ , his internal voice hissed. _You broke your relationship off, remember? If you have any respect left, you'll leave the married woman alone and let her live._

Pattering footsteps approached and a pair of slippers with kittens on them hopped into place beside So's gray ones. "Mr. So, what're you doing?" Yoon asked.

So looked down at the little lady that leaned against the wall beside him. Yoon copied his movements and crossed her arms, her little lips jutting out as she duplicated his grimace. "Hello, little lady," So said, feeling his expression loosen. He held his palm out and smirked when Yoon high-fived it. "You're getting good at that."

"Wanna see Mommy, but Mommy working," Yoon grumbled. So nodded and listened to the woes of the three-year-old. To the innocent mind beside him, nothing mattered more than the fact that the maids and Chae Ryung had refused her access to ice cream before dinner. "Mister So, get me ice cream?" she asked.

The bodyguard glanced down at the child as she widened her eyes and pushed her bottom lip out. So saw his reflection in Yoon's bottomless eyes… eyes that matched Hae Soo's. The dark brown irises were too easy to fall for and So felt his heart sway as he seriously contemplated sneaking Yoon a cup of ice cream.

"Sorry, kid," he said, ruffling the child's hair, "maybe ask your mom about it after dinner."

Unsatisfied with his response, Yoon's adorable puppy face disappeared into her former pout. So chuckled as she shook her head and stomped away. "Nanny! Ice Cream!" she called into the open air.

"Not until after dinner, Hwang Bo Yoon!" Chae Ryung called back.

Smirking, So leaned back against the wall and sighed, closing his eyes.

Soon, the office door opened and So glanced at Soo's secretary. The woman ignored him as she texted, following through on the orders Soo had no doubt piled onto her. Due to his extensive background checks, So knew that the woman under Soo's employ was a prodigy in her own right. He wondered if the young woman would ever consider being a hitman; the level of concentration and organization she exhibited were akin to that of even the most experienced killers.

So scoffed to himself. _As if you'll train someone to become a hitman. You're not even a hitman anymore. Why make another one?_

"The boss wants to see you," the secretary said as she passed by him. So looked at the young woman, but she was already walking away, jabbering to another assistant on her bluetooth. "What do you mean we're out of A4? I made sure to order enough for the- oh, I see."

So did not wait to hear the end of the woman's tirade about paper. Instead, he straightened his suit and tried to remove any wrinkles on his jacket that might have come from his leaning against a wall for the greater part of twenty minutes.

Brushing himself off, he cleared his throat and stepped into the bright office. So washed his face of the little smile that had crept onto his lips and swallowed thickly.

"You called for me, Mrs… Hae?" His voice rose in surprise and So blinked as he realized Soo had changed out of the outfit she had worn that morning.

She sat at her desk, dressed in a blouse that covered her from neck to stomach. Her pants were long and her hands flew over keys at speeds So knew he could never reach. She typed something into her computer, but the rapid click of her fingertips against plastic keys stopped when their eyes met.

Wide brown eyes that shined with too many emotions stared at him and So felt as if he had been dealt a blow to the stomach. He saw an expression that was mixed between sadness and longing- one that he wanted to erase and replace with shining happiness.

"You called for me," he repeated.

"Close the door, please."

So did as ordered, shutting the door behind him and listening to the doorknob click.

The air in the office was warm and So felt his heart thrum just a bit faster at the thought of being in a secluded area with Soo. The woman he loved sat just two meters away.

Soo looked down at the documents on her desk before shutting her folders one by one. So waited for her to complete her task. "So, I asked you here because…"

She pressed her hand to her chest and So narrowed his eyes at how nervous she was. He watched as she stood from her seat and walked around her desk, standing in front of him so that they were on equal ground.

There was still more than a meter between them, but So felt so close to Soo that he wondered if she could hear his heart clamoring for her.

Soo closed her eyes and removed her hand from her chest.

"I've been making a fool of myself to… to get you to come back to me, but I can see that it's not working," she said quietly. So listened carefully, a cold dread beginning to slow the giddiness in his chest. Standing straight, he maintained his poker face as Soo bit her bottom lip and looked him in the eye. "I... I understand that my actions may have been discourteous of me as an employer and an ex. I'm sorry."

 _No,_ So thought. _No. Don't be sorry. This is my fault. I want you as much as you want me, but I can't let you be tarnished by me._

"If you really don't want to be with me, please tell me. I'll stop this game and maintain a strict work relationship with you."

So felt himself panic as he realized Soo meant to completely end their relationship.

 _This is what you wanted- to be able to protect her without hurting her,_ a voice in his mind hissed. _You're getting your wish so stop being selfish. Take her offer._

He fixated on Soo's sincere expression before shaking his head and pressing his hands to his forehead. He kept his gaze away from her eyes so he would not see her emotions—so he would not have to tear himself away from looking at her.

Part of him said to take Soo's offer and protect her as he had been doing. Part of him said to deny her offer and tell her he loved her. Taking a step forward, So reached a hand out and gently tucked a stray hair behind Soo's ear. "So, don't," Soo whispered. She nuzzled closer to his hand and the dread in So's heart dissipated. His palm touched smooth skin and his thumb caressed Soo's cheek.

His feet moved as if they were controlled by an outside force.

His hands held her downcast face, tilting her chin upwards so they were equals.

So leaned forward and hungrily pressed his lips to Soo's. He swallowed her initial yelp of surprise before opening his mouth as she melted into his embrace, her arms wrapping around him. So kissed the woman he had craved for weeks, holding the one he loved as tightly as he could.

He could feel Soo's tongue in his mouth, reciprocating the urgency he felt and kissing him as hard as he did her.

The outside world was forgotten as passion mixed in colors of red and black and green. So leaned back for a breath and tilted his forehead against his woman's.

Their breaths intermingled and their hearts beat with a singular desire.

So begged Soo to hear his thoughts. He wanted nothing more than to tell her how he felt.

 _I love you. I love you. I love you._

* * *

 **Thank you so so so so much for reading~ You are amazing. 3**


	29. Finale

**Hi guys! Thanks for the wait! I had a really hectic and emotionally distressing week last week, so I didn't update but here I am, back with a new chapter! Thanks for reading you guys. :)**

 **-PB**

* * *

 **Hae Soo**

Gasping for breath, she held So closer, her fingers raking against the unyielding material of his suit. He tasted like mint and smelled like aftershave. She could feel the barest hint of stubble against his chin and noted the lightest bit of pain from when her tongue scraped against the sharp ridges of his canines. His warm hands caressed her face and Soo's emotions blurred into one: desire.

This was his answer; she was sure of it. He was replying to her question by making her his. Soo's heart fluttered with giddy elation and her emotions soared.

Wang So had touched her first, his indifferent expression morphing as he drew closer and closer. He had brushed her hair back and caressed her cheek, skimming his thumb over her skin until Soo saw the facade crack. So's eyes, she found them beautiful. Dark and brimming with swallowed emotions, Soo saw galaxies of lost history behind them. Wang So was a person she would want by her side forever. He was someone she did not pride herself in needing, but needed all the same.

So's large hands moved to her hips and Soo felt herself being lifted onto her desk. He moved her with ease, his strong arms holding her as if she weighed nothing. Soo sat on the table, refusing to relinquish her hold on So.

She wanted him more than anything. She wanted him to be hers again; for her to be his. She pined for his touch, his body, his mind.

He kissed her again, just as hard as he had before. Their breathless exchange of emotions contained no words; there were none to describe just how they felt. Soo held So's back as he unpinned her hair, removing the comb that held it in place.

His fingers ran through her messy hair, only making it look worse, but Soo could not care less. She relished his touch and sought more, pulling him until he stood between her open legs, his stiff groin meeting her hips.

Her hands moved away from his back and to his chest. Soo moaned into So's mouth and clutched at the front of his shirt as their tongues met. Even with her eyes closed, Soo knew every plane of So's body. She could feel his hard muscles flexing and his strong hands gently gripping her. Every part of him was designed for strength and agility, yet his touch was feathery against her. The only force he exerted was from his lips and tongue as he claimed her, tasting her.

Flattening her hands against So's chest, Soo slid them down his shirt, pushing past his jacket.

There were no words between them and Soo helped So out of his first layer as they kissed. She felt his grunt vibrate against her tongue as his coat jumbled against his arms. So wrenched his hands free and Soo felt them against her shoulders.

She curled her legs around him and sucked on his bottom lip, smiling as she cupped his erection and pressed her hand against his strained pants. He moaned and ground against her palm. Soo kissed So's throat and lightly sucked on the place between his jaw and ear, knowing how much he reacted when she touched him there.

Palming his hardening groin, Soo slipped her hand into the waistline of his pants.

She opened her eyes when So pulled away from her kiss. His hands fell away from her shoulders and he shook his head. "Stop," he said quietly. "Stop, please."

She uncrossed her ankles and freed So from her embrace, watching as he stumbled backwards, his hands reaching behind him to brace himself against the far wall.

"Are you okay?" Soo asked. She touched her swollen lips, as So covered his mouth. His cheeks were red and his eyes struck with conflict. He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and Soo looked away.

She did not wipe her lips or clean up her messy state. Instead, she gazed back up at the man that caught his breath in her office.

"So, are you alright?"

Silence blanketed the room like the snow that covered everything outside. Soo stared at her disheveled bodyguard when he shivered. He looked away from her, but she did not look away from him.

"I'm fine," So finally replied. Soo felt relief at the sound of his unsure baritone, but she could not express her sentiments. So picked his jacket off the ground and began untangling it. "We shouldn't have done that."

Everything felt different, awkward, stale. The very air in the room was so heavy Soo felt as if she was about to be crushed. Moving her hands away from the desk, she loosened her grip on the wood and pressed her face into her palms.

Embarrassment clouded her thoughts and her cheeks burned.

When she nervously licked her lips, she could still taste him.

"Do you really want to break up?" Soo asked. Her voice was slightly muffled by her hands, but she knew So had heard when the sound of his movements stopped.

She waited for his response, hoped and dreaded what he would say.

Breaking up with So was the prudent decision. Soo had condemned Wook for cheating, but there she was, embracing her bodyguard and taking him beneath the roof she shared with her husband and children. She felt terrible for going against her marriage vows, but So had made her feel so good both physically and emotionally. He had healed her aching heart and soothed her broken soul. He had brought her joy and pleasure… so there she was, pining for him to stay.

When So did not speak up, Soo continued, lifting her head from her hands and watching as he held his coat in his left hand, frozen in his place.

"I once thought you liked me because of my money," she said quietly. "Because I was the stupid rich lady who got cheated on." So refused to meet her gaze, but Soo looked at her bodyguard's lovely features, tracing the curve of his eyes, the rigid lines of his chin, and the creases between his eyebrows. "But you never asked for anything- you only gave. I thought one day, you would take my money and leave, but those thoughts went away the moment you held me at the hotel and told me about yourself and your family."

Soo cast her eyes downward. Her chest ached and she forced herself not to let her tears flow. She would not give any more sorrows to So. Not when he had gone through enough.

"So, I can't give up my job or my status for you, but-"

"You're married, S– Mrs. Hae." Soo closed her eyes when So uttered her title. She noticed how he caught himself before he said her name. She wished he would have followed through and just completed the single syllable that would have made her smile. She wanted to hear him say her name.

The smallest things were what made her enjoy her time with him so much. Calling each other by their equally strange first names, they were two strange people caught in strange circumstances. Just the sound of her name on his lips was enough to bring a giddy feeling into her heart.

But So did not say her name and Soo was left pining.

"You once said we are unequal, that we existed in different worlds…" Soo chewed on her bottom lip and held her hand against her chest, touching the place where her heart pounded, the sound of a million drums clamoring for her to say the right words and bring her lover back to her.

"What is so unequal about us?" Soo felt a fool for having to ask that question. She felt like an idiot for not seeing why So would want to break up with her.

Hae Soo, daughter of a conglomerate, wife of a politician. Of course he would break up with her. She was too rich, too powerful, too… married.

She looked at So as he surveyed the floor. His eyes scanned the wood before looking up at her. Soo wanted to know why he looked so sad. She wanted to share his burdens. If there was pain behind his eyes, she wanted half of it- if not all of it. She wanted to be his support and his aid, holding him when he needed her, and protecting him when she could.

"Would you…" So began. His shoulders rose and fell as he took a deep breath. Soo braced herself for whatever question he would ask. "Would you hate me if I said that it wasn't you and that it was me?"

Her eyes closed and she looked away.

Her focus moved to her own clothing, on the garments that covered her. Even though she was dressed completely- only showing her hands and face- she felt bared and broken. In front of So, she could be vulnerable and weak because he was there to lift her spirits. But this time, he refused to come near, leaving her to suffer from her own shortcomings.

"Bi Ik," Soo whispered.

She looked up and met eyes with So.

"What?"

"Bi Ik," Soo repeated for him. "The story of the bird."

She remembered the tale she had heard from her mother. Soo remembered laying in bed the same way her daughter had, listening as her mother told her stories.

 _"Listen, Hae Soo," Go Myung said. One hand moved to gently grasp Soo's arm while the other covered one of her eyes. "There once was a bird with one eye and one wing. It was named Bi Ik. Without its eye, it could not properly see, and without its wing, it could not properly fly. Trapped against the earth, Bi Ik longed for a day when it could fly amongst the clouds and be with the heavens."_

Soo watched as So's expression hardened, yet the torment in his eyes lessened and there was a calm that overtook the hurt in his irises. So knew the story- she could tell.

 _"One day, Bi Ik met another bird who was just like it. With one wing and one eye, that bird was also trapped against the earth, fluttering and flailing." Myung's hands moved away from Soo's arm and face, and she made fluttering motions against Soo's chest with her hands. Soo giggled and tried to mimic her mother._

 _"Side by side, they held close to each other and became one, using their wings and their eyes to support and lift the other until they too could fly, soaring over the heavens and joining the sky." Myung tucked Soo in and kissed her forehead. "One day, darling, you'll find someone who will support you and love you and help you fly. I pray to our ancestors every night, asking that they'll bring someone kind and caring for you so that you may help each other the way Bi Ik and the other bird did."_

"I need you," Soo said, staring straight at So. "It's selfish, I know. I'm married and have children. There are class differences between us and so much unsaid history behind us, but I rely on you. You may not need me. You may not even think about me, but I need you."

So broke the contact between their gazes as he looked away. It was during times like these that Soo wished he would talk more and show more emotion. She wanted him to vent, to tell her what was wrong. She wanted communication and a key to the lock on why he refused to talk to her.

What was the worst that could come? She would forgive anything, close her eyes to any mistake, ignore any strange request if it meant keeping Wang So by her side.

"Please say something, So." Standing, Soo took a step towards him. She pleaded for him to look at her, to yell at her, to do anything but be still. "Tell me something, anything. Talk to me. Shout at me. Do something, please," she begged.

So closed his eyes and Soo lost her only way of discerning his emotions. He placed a hand over his forehead, rubbing the creases. His shoulders rose and fell as he breathed deeply.

"Soo," he said. She raised her eyebrows as he said her name, his deep voice reverberating around the room. So looked up and Soo took a step towards him. "We aren't a fairy tale… and you already have a significant other to lean on."

She felt as if he had stabbed her.

Taking a step backwards, Soo slowly retreated to her desk, flinching when her backside bumped the hard edge. What hurt the most was that So was right. Soo had just referenced a fairy tale in an attempt to keep an affair going.

Her cheeks burned red with embarrassment and her heart shattered. She lowered her gaze and nodded. "Okay."

Her voice betrayed her defeat. "Okay," she said again. "Let's... stop. I accept that- that we've broken up."

"Soo..." So's voice was soft and Soo shook her head.

"No, you're right. We shouldn't…" Soo did not want to say the next words, the words that cemented the fact that they were no longer seeing each other. Tears welled in her eyes, but Soo refused to let them fall. "We shouldn't be together."

Breathing deeply, Soo looked up at her bodyguard, pressing a hand to her heart to soothe the emotional ache that appeared. There was little she could do to ease the pain so she lowered her hand and swallowed thickly.

Clearing her throat, Soo blinked and glanced back at her desk. "We'll be-" She paused, trying to put a bit of strength into her voice. "My family and I will be going on vacation soon," she said quietly. "Chae Ryung will… she'll inform you of the details. Please have your passport prepared. You, my…" Soo took a breath. "You, my husband's bodyguard, and Chae Ryung will be flying with us."

She closed her eyes and steadied herself. "You can leave now," she uttered.

So bowed before exiting the room. Soo turned to see his back as he walked away and bit her bottom lip to stop herself from acknowledging the anguish that mangled the walls of her heart.


	30. Vacay

**I recently watched Spiderman Homecoming for the first time and it was really funny. I liked it. I don't usually like action movies, but that one was funny enough that I really enjoyed it.  
** **Life has gotten better, but I'm still taking things one day at a time. I have to finish all of my classes by May 1st so... that's pretty stressful, but I'm pulling through for you guys. I know some of you are super into the story, so I really hope I can make it to the end with all you fine people.**

 **-PB**

* * *

 **Wang So**

Two weeks after breaking up with Soo, So sat on a private jet, comfortably situated in a leather seat. The plane was done in cream and gold, the largest surfaces on the plane engraved with the Hanja character 'Hae'.

Sitting with his legs stretched out, So glanced to his right and saw Wook's bodyguard sleeping. The window was closed, leaving So's only form of entertainment to be the family that enjoyed the start of their week-long vacation to Guam.

He watched as Mi and Yoon sat on either side of the plane. There had been a fight on the car ride to the airport and Yoon had sobbed after Mi had stolen cookies from the weaker sibling's snack box. So remembered driving while listening to Wook reprimand Mi for stealing from her sister. The father had mediated by making Mi give a few of her cookies to Yoon, resulting in Mi's tearful declarations that nothing was fair and that Yoon always got everything she wanted.

At the moment, the two girls happily played by themselves. Yoon stared out the window at the blue sky, wondrously gasping and laughing at the blank, blue horizon. Mi, on the other hand, sat beside Chae Ryung with a pair of headphones on her ears and a large tablet in front of her. The older of the two kicked her feet and bounced along to the cartoons she watched. The girls wore matching outfits, their hair done in identical pigtails, and their giddy smiles a welcome change from the snotty, sobbing faces they had made while boarding the plane.

So studied the children for as long as he could until a soft laugh brought his attention elsewhere. He glanced at the sofa within the plane and felt his heart clench at the sight of the other people on it.

"You know, we never actually did that," Wook said, chuckling.

"Didn't we?" Soo asked, her voice confused.

"Hae Soo, are you mistaking me for a past boyfriend? Should I be worried?" Wook laughed and Soo cracked a hint of a smile, but So exhaled until there was nothing left to let out.

Wook laid across the sofa, his head in Soo's lap and his shoes discarded. So noticed the politician dressed casually, wearing a sweatshirt and jeans. Soo's hands carded through his hair and Wook crossed his legs.

So tried to resist, but his eyes acted on their own, gazing at Soo as she looked down at her husband. She wore a loose dress with a cardigan on top of it, stockings covering her skin and keeping her warm. She no longer dressed provocatively. Daring necklines and sleeveless outfits were replaced with her usual prim attire.

 _She looks beautiful in anything,_ So thought before shaking any rogue ideas out of his head.

He felt a pang in his heart when Soo touched Wook's cheek and gently sighed, her expression blank as she gazed down at her husband.

She looked almost imperceptibly tired, but So had spent enough time studying her to know that she was still hurting from his words. Her eyes were shadowed beneath low lids and slow blinks. Her hands sometimes shook and So could tell she was fighting the urge to press her hand to her chest to calm herself.

So narrowed his eyes, swearing internally as he realized she had lost sleep because of him.

He had also spent many sleepless nights, thinking of a million different ways to reenact the day on which they had broken up. He wondered if he had just let her touch him- if he had not told her to stop- they would still be together. If he had told her the truth about himself, would he even be allowed to walk free? Would she have called the police?

He would have gone quietly if she had called the police. If it was Soo who dictated his fate, So would follow her orders. He would go to prison if it was for her.

"Why do you look so tired, Soo? Are you alright?" So looked over at the couple and watched Wook sit up, the hair on the back of his head messy from laying on Soo's lap.

Soo raised her eyebrows but nodded. "I'm okay. I just… I haven't been sleeping well these days. That's all." She ran a hand through her short hair. She was not wearing her wedding ring.

So ground his teeth when Wook kissed Soo's forehead. Exhaling through his nose, So glared as Wook took Soo's hand and gently knocked her down onto his lap. "Wook, what are you-"

"Take a nap, Wife," Wook said, his smile resting on Soo. So felt his hand clench into a fist as he watched Soo slowly lay with her head against Wook's thigh. The politician smiled down at his wife and So looked away when he leaned down to kiss her.

"Wook, the staff," Soo whispered between kisses. She turned her head away from her husband and Wook sat straight once more.

"The staff know that I love you very much. I think they'll excuse me kissing my beautiful wife."

So mentally kicked himself for being stupid enough to stay even after he had broken up with Soo. He wondered if his relationship and breakup with Soo would be the catalyst for her and Wook's relationship to become stronger.

 _Fucking idiot, you should just leave. You've fucked up enough. Why are you staying and watching the effects of your mistakes?_

So looked at Mi and wished he was as oblivious as the girl in her soundproof headphones. When he looked at Yoon, the little girl moved away from her window, bored by the lack of clouds in the sky.

"Mommy, Daddy," Yoon said. When her parents ignored her call, the little girl marched over to the sofa and climbed onto it. "Yoonie's Mommy. Daddy leave," Yoon whined.

So smirked as Yoon's little hands patted Wook's knee. The child clambered on top of her mother's stomach and laid against Soo's torso, yawning. "Is it time for a nap, Dinosaur?" Wook asked. He patted Yoon's head and So masked his chuckle into a cough when Yoon shoved Wook's hand away from her.

"My Mommy," the little girl snapped.

So snorted before crossing his arms as Wook chuckled. "Well she's my wife. I'll fight you for the right to Mommy."

"No!"

"Mommy cannot be sold or bought," Soo said, adding her voice to the mix. "But for now, Yoonie gets Mommy's attention." So turned to fixate on her arms as they wrapped around her child.

Yoon wiggled against her mother. "No clouds and no dinosaurs. Up high boring!" The child looked at her parents with an undisguised pout as they laughed at her antics.

"Well how about Yoonie and Mommy take a nice, long nap?" Soo suggested. "When we wake up, we'll be in Guam and then we'll have lots of energy to go swimming or play in the sand."

So watched as Yoon laid her head against Soo's chest. Wook moved away from the mother-daughter duo and placed a pillow beneath Soo's head before crouching beside the sofa and kissing the two people who prepared to sleep. So glanced away as Wook took a seat in front of Mi.

Leaning back in his own seat, So sighed and closed his eyes, tugging at his necktie. He envied Wook. That had been prevalent since So had first realized he was interested in Soo. The fact that she was married had almost deterred him, but he could not have imagined how much of an impact she would have on him… and it was because of that impact that he wished he could take her away from her husband.

So had managed to find the one person in the world he truly loved and the one person he truly envied... and by some sick twist of fate, they were married to each other. Wook could kiss Soo whenever he wanted. Wook had a family that adored him and a beautiful wife who was too good for him.

When they arrived in Guam, So was the first through customs. The officer had glanced down at his battered passport without so much as blinking an eye at the number of stamps he had accumulated over his years as a hitman.

So always had a little laugh whenever he entered another country. Even with his fake passports and names, he had never been given a second look by officers. He remembered how he had tried to re-enter Korea after his first kill. Drenching his shirt in sweat and terrified that he would be caught, he had shivered and avoided eye contact throughout the whole ordeal. But, he had passed through all security checks and had been sent on his merry way.

Looking out at the family, So nodded to Mi who was the first one through. Then came Wook, Yoon, and Soo. Chae Ryung came after them, and to cap their party off, Wook's bodyguard came last.

Two cars were already prepared for them and the drive to the hotel was quiet. So drove the SUV with Chae Ryung beside him and the family behind him. The car in front of them was driven by Wook's bodyguard and held their luggage.

The hotel was bustling with tourists and So watched as Chae Ryung checked the family in and translated for Wook and Soo. Dealing with the gruelling process of checking into hotel rooms bored So to no end, so when the girls each grabbed his hands and pulled him to a balcony overlooking the ocean, So happily followed, picking Yoon up so she could look out at the sea.

The weather was beautiful. The sun was warm and the blue water welcomed them to tropical paradise, a vast difference from the snowy, gray winter they had just exited. So inhaled the salty spray of the ocean and looked out at the bustling beaches, gazing at the people that visited the island.

"Mr. So, are you gonna swim with us?" Mi asked as they walked to the elevators. So raised his eyebrows at the girl as she asked her father if he could come with them.

Wook chuckled and agreed. "I think we should all just head for the beach. Our luggage is in our rooms, so we can just change and be off, right, Soo?"

So snuck a glance at Soo as she removed her cardigan. "Hm?" She looked up. "Oh, yeah. I think a swim before dinner will be nice."

The family was situated in a suite. Chae Ryung held Mi's hand and guided her into the large area. The door closed and So nodded to Wook's bodyguard. They each had a room right across the hall from the family's quarters. Chae Ryung would have a room beside the suite.

So twirled the master key he had been given for his room and the suite in his hand, spinning it as if it were a Hwatu card. Years of playing the game had left him with a bundle of card-related abilities that were useless unless he was cheating in Hwatu or showing the girls a magic trick.

Sighing, he sat on his bed and stared out the open window at a view that was not the ocean. His thoughts drifted to Soo and So sucked on his teeth as he realized Soo would be with Wook during the entire vacation.

"Fuck…" he groaned, elongating the word and falling back against his bed.

Before he could even think about taking a depression nap, So heard his phone buzz.

His hand shot towards his pants and So brought the screen up to his face.

"Hel-"

 _"The family is going swimming. You should be in a swimsuit and ready to go in twenty minutes."_

The call ended and So tossed his phone onto the bed. He wondered if Chae Ryung knew how much he wanted to hop on the next flight and leave. Stuck on an island with the ex he still loved and her husband, watching them play with their children… "What fucked up nonsense is this?" So asked, staring at the ceiling.

Sitting up, he released another groan and made for his luggage, throwing the bag open and removing his red swim trunks. Swearing, So removed his jacket and undid his tie, haphazardly tossing his garments onto the chair beside his bed.

He stripped and pulled his swimsuit on. A waterproof case was locked onto his phone and he located a pair of sunglasses.

As he moved to leave, So caught his reflection in the mirror.

Removing his sunglasses, he stared at his body, scrutinizing the marks that tore across his skin. Each and every scar had been kissed and touched by Soo, her gentle caresses making sure each one was soothed in her own way. So reached a shaking hand to touch the cigarette burn on his collarbone. He could no longer remember the singeing agony, nor could he remember himself reacting to his mother's abuse. All he could feel when he touched the burn were gentle kisses and whispered words of hope.

Soo affected him in every way. She had made him hers. So could not even look at his own body without seeing that he belonged to her. He belonged to the woman he loved… and he did not regret relinquishing himself to her. He could trust her.

Turning back, he removed a rash guard from his bag. The tight, black shirt covered the wounds on his torso and arms, removing them from sight.

By the time he stepped out of his room, Soo and her family were also walking out of theirs. So glanced at the two girls that scampered past him and chuckled at their ruffly, green swimsuits. Chae Ryung ran after the girls and So followed the family, watching as Wook left the suite.

When Soo stepped out of her room, she closed the door behind her and looked over at him. So swallowed before glancing away. "Shall we go?" she asked.

Soo brushed past him and he took that moment to look at her. A loose dress covered her shoulders and a large hat sat on her head, blocking him from seeing her from above. When So snuck a peek at her face, he was blocked by a pair of massive sunglasses that swallowed half of Soo's profile.

By the time they arrived at the beach, Wook was already lying beneath an umbrella while the girls were sitting by the water, their hands digging in the wet ground for shells.

The sun beat down on the island, baking the sand and tanning the people that played in the sea. There were hundreds of tourists across the bay, enjoying the warm weather that contrasted with the snow and ice at home. The crystal blue water beckoned the visitors into it, promise cool respite and hours of fun.

So moved to stand beneath another umbrella, ignoring the water and keeping his eyes on the family. Soo left his side and walked over to her husband, removing the dress and revealing a black bikini.

The woman he loved to kiss and touch bared herself, but So could not reach for her. He ground his teeth when Wook sat her onto his lap, telling Chae Ryung to watch the girls.

So noticed the two watching their children. They spoke quietly, but over the rush of the waves and the sound of people speaking, So could not discern what was being said. Instead, he was forced to watch Wook and Soo walk towards the water and splash around with their girls.

So wished desperately for any type of alcohol, but he was on duty. He could not drink or smoke or induce any sort of high using the substances he had given up while being with Soo. He had stopped smoking because of her, and he had not touched alcohol in weeks.

"Ah! Wook, no!"

So's head snapped up and he stood as Wook carried Soo out to deeper waters before throwing her into the ocean. So was running towards the shore before he even knew what was going on.

His feet touched the cold water when Soo's head burst from the waves and she laughed, hitting her husband's bare shoulder. Soo blew her nose and shook water from her ears as Wook kissed her forehead. "I just like seeing you wet," he said with a laugh.

So turned and retreated to the umbrella. He did not move when Wook's bodyguard patted his shoulder. "No need to be paranoid. Wook does that all the time on vacations," the older man said, chuckling. "He picks her up and throws her into whatever pool or lake or ocean they're near. Soo's a toughie. She's used to it."

His jaw ached from clenching his teeth so much, and So pressed his head into his hands, running stiff fingers through his hair and pulling at the roots. He grumbled obscenities under his breath, and when he released the strands on his head, he turned his head and saw Soo glancing away from him.

 _That's right, look away,_ he thought bitterly. _We're not seeing each other anymore. You shouldn't be looking at other men when you're married, Hae Soo._

She was drenched from head to toe and drops of water fell from her hair, falling over the smooth planes of her body and catching in her swimsuit. So also looked away.

* * *

After sitting through a gruelling family dinner, So skipped his own meal and sat on the balcony of his hotel room, staring at nothing. He wanted to go home… but where was home?

He determined the hotel room was half the size of his apartment in Gangnam. The small, one-bedroom flat was located in the heart of the most bustling city in the country, placed in the second-story of a chrome-plated building. So could easily jump from the window if someone came knocking. No one knew his address and So actively avoided his neighbors by wearing hats and masks when he left the house.

How could he not? Inside his fridge were vials of toxins next to cans of beer and old bottles of soju. Inside his closet were guns that, if seized, would fine him into bankruptcy and throw him in prison until even his bones disintegrated into dust.

 _Civilians shouldn't have sniper rifles._

The apartment was just a hiding spot for the Wolf Dog to stay while he awaited his next commands. There was one bed, one table, and one chair. The longest So had ever stayed in the apartment was a month. He was a top-rated hitman and there was always someone in need of killing.

However, no matter how many of his belongings sat in the apartment, the "home" So thought of was not that little apartment. He had never felt happy in that apartment.

Home was a little place half the size of the hotel room he currently inhabited. There were cranes on the wallpaper and the bed was small. It was furnished almost exactly like his apartment, but that little room inside a mansion many times its size was different. It was a place where he could work with people and not care about his problems. It was a place that set him that much closer to the love of his life.

Leaning forward, So pressed his elbows to his knees and sighed, bumping his forehead against the metal guard that kept him from falling off the balcony. He could hear families having fun at night. No doubt Soo was doing something with her children and husband, enjoying their vacation together.

"Fucking idiot," So whispered to himself.

His hands met his face as he let darkness envelop him.

 _That's it,_ he decided. _I'm leaving. We've broken up. No one is going to kill Wook because his tax failed to pass. I'm leaving. I can't take it anymore._

He decided to kiss Soo a final time before leaving. He would do that if it was the last thing he did. After that, he would leave on the first flight out.

 _It's over. I'm done._

* * *

 **Thank you so much to the amazing Krysyuy. I don't thank you enough.**


	31. Equal

**I am about a week out from graduating. I'm so happy.**

 **Thank you all for the wonderful comments! I didn't post last week because of how much work I had to complete, but I'm going to be able to start writing again soon! I cannot express how grateful I am for every one of you for sticking by me through this roller coaster of a story, so please enjoy this next chapter :)  
** **-PB**

* * *

 **Hae Soo**

"Go without Mommy, okay? I'll be there soon to play with you." Soo smiled at her daughters as they held Wook's hands.

"Mommy just needs a bit of break time," she explained. "Have fun with Daddy." The girls looked apprehensive but their pouty faces were quickly replaced with smiles when Wook declared he would buy them both ice cream.

Soo leaned against the wall and watched her babies walk away with their father as Chae Ryung tailed them. Wook's swim trunks were the same shade of blue as Mi and Yoon's bikinis and Soo prided herself on finding children's swimsuits in that exact shade.

She would have two hours to herself while Wook took the girls to the pool and entertained them, giving her some time to catch up on a few e-mails.

Ready to work, she stretched her arms out and sighed, wondering where So was.

Soo sucked on her teeth, reprimanding herself for thinking about him again. Even though they had broken up weeks before, Soo still ached for So. She had not realized how much she truly wanted to be with him until they had split apart. But if So ever looked at her, he looked away when she caught him. And when Soo spied on her ex-boyfriend, she also averted her gaze when he caught her. They jumped around each other's boundaries, avoiding each other even though So's literal job was to stalk her.

She felt terrible that he had to witness her kissing Wook. Soo could only imagine how much he hated seeing her with her husband. To have to be in such close proximity to them… she wished she could apologize.

Her thoughts drifted to him at inopportune moments. Soo hated herself for imagining So while laying on her husband's lap. She automatically felt her thoughts focusing on So when she thought about the way his rash guard had clung to his toned body, acting as a second skin. She had not even bothered to hide her stare when So had run towards her after Wook had thrown her in the ocean.

Reaching for the door to her room, Soo paused and stared at the lock.

"Shit," she muttered.

Feeling her body for the key card, Soo swore again when she realized her key was in her purse... which was inside the room. She stared down at her sundress and its lack of pockets before remembering she was in a bikini beneath it. "Just let my day get worse. Honestly."

She knocked her forehead against the door before realizing something else.

"No… my phone is in there too," she whined. "Why is my… no…"

Defeated by a door, Soo slouched and thought of the people that could open it and let her in. Chae Ryung and her husband were too far and Soo did not know the way to the hotel's pool area or which pool her husband was even going to. Wook's bodyguard was already at said pool—having been sent earlier to set up and keep an eye on the number of people present. Which left…

"No…" Soo groaned. The last person So would want to see would be her, but she needed to get into her room.

Trudging forward, she approached So's bedroom door and raised her hand to tap on it. She paused when she realized she would have to face him. Her hand fell away and Soo wondered if it was even right to talk to So after all they had been through. Would he hate her for seeking him out? Would he shut the door in her face? Would he-

"Hae Soo, you're being paranoid," she whispered, biting her thumb. She prepared to knock on the door before stopping again. "But what if you're not?"

She moved away and paced in a circle, trying to calm her nerves and tell herself that no, Wang So was not going to laugh at her for locking herself out of her room and slam the door in her face. "But he might. You broke up with him. What if… argh." She groaned, traversing the space in front of So's door while mulling over her seesawing thoughts.

Up and down her hand went as she debated between knocking on So's door or not. Side to side, her body moved as she paced around the patterns on the carpet, debating if she should really knock or not.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Soo turned away from So's door and stared with an open mouth as So held the door to the smoking balcony open, his expression confused and a box of cigarettes in his hand. So returned her stare with a blatant expression on his face and Soo bit her bottom lip before pointing at his door.

"You're not in there?" she asked lamely. Soo cringed at her own question as So flipped the lighter in his hand before catching it. He glanced around the empty balcony.

"I should hope not," he replied.

Soo's eyes darted between the box in So's left hand and then at the purple lighter in his right.

Forgetting her past problem, she went towards So, stepping out onto the balcony as he moved away to let her through.

The door shut behind them and she stood across from him, watching as he coughed and tore the plastic off of his cigarette box, tossing it into the ashtray. Soo felt her heart pang when So flipped the top of the container open.

They stood in silence and Soo sighed. "How long were you watching me?"

"Since your husband left with the children. Hae Soo, you realize the front desk will open your door for you, right? You don't need me."

 _But I do._

Soo watched as So bit a cigarette and closed the carton, pushing it into his pocket. He flicked his lighter and Soo shook her head.

"I thought you quit," she whispered.

The flame dissipated and So eyed her with a sadness Soo could not place. He looked at her as if she were dying- as if he would not see her again. She pressed a hand to her heart and So let the cigarette between his teeth drop to the floor. It bounced off the balcony and down into the trees below.

Stepping forward, Soo raised a quivering hand and opened her palm to So. She blinked slowly, her legs moving with a mind of their own. He was a magnet and he pulled her in with a single gaze. Her heart pounded in her ears, but she only registered him.

So met her in the middle and Soo watched the purple plastic fall from his hand to hers. Her fingers curled around the warm lighter and Soo looked into So's eyes, wondering why this felt like the last time she would be seeing him.

A flash glinted over the dark irises and Soo watched his pupils dilate. She exhaled when So leaned his forehead close to hers. "What are you doing?" Soo asked as their breaths intermingled. A shiver ran down her spine and she unconsciously reached for So's forearm to support her shaking legs.

The cigarette carton entered her grasp and Soo moaned when So's lips pressed to hers, so gentle and chaste that it hurt to be so close to him.

Soo dropped the contents of her hands and wrapped her arms around So, her body perfectly fitting against him. His large hands held her hips and Soo felt his fingers tangling in her dress as they kissed.

There was no tongue, no fancy action. Soo kissed So with the barest of glances, touching her lips to his the way he had to her.

She made no sound when he picked her up and held her bottom as her legs wrapped around his torso, her ankles locking behind him. Soo let her hands move from So's back and she held his cheeks, pressing one long, hard kiss against his lips.

She felt him take a step forward, but was too engrossed in how right it felt to be against him again that she did not notice where he was going.

When So sat her on the ledge of the balcony, Soo shrieked and wrapped herself tightly around his neck, holding onto him for dear life. They were twenty stories above the ground and Soo felt the wind against her skirt. Her heart pounded and the sound of blood rushing past her ears made her tremble.

She refused to look anywhere, shutting her eyes as So's arms tightly held her against his chest. Terror gripped at her, but fear was overridden by trust. _So won't drop me. He has me. I'm okay._ The cold metal touched her bare skin and Soo's eyes opened wide when she heard So's voice.

"Are you afraid of me?" he asked softly.

Pulling back, Soo loosened her grip just enough to look at him. She took in the equally terrified look in his eyes before pressing her forehead to his. "Are you afraid that I'll hurt you?" he asked again.

She should have screamed. She should have pushed herself into the veranda and ran for dear life. But Soo knew her answer as soon as she heard the question.

Teetering off the ledge of a hundred meter drop, Soo hugged So and held onto him with all she had. Closing her eyes, she whimpered, "No," certainty in her terror-struck voice. "I trust you with my life."

Soo did not miss the strangled sound that came from the back of So's throat. When she opened her eyes, she saw tears in his, his irises glistening like topazes in vodka. "Wrong answer," he whispered, pulling her back into the veranda.

Her feet touched land, but Soo refused to let go of So. Her arms went around his waist and she pressed her head to his chest, listening to his rapidly beating heart. It was too easy to find his pulse and Soo felt her breathing return to normal.

So's hand reached around her and Soo expected him to hold her shoulder, but her eyes widened when he gently pushed her away. "I'm leaving," he murmured. "I can't… I can't take it anymore."

Soo stumbled backwards but this time, she refused to concede.

 _Don't let him go. Don't let go or he'll never be yours again. You can't let go._

Her only reaction was to swallow her tears and kiss him as hard as she possibly could.

 _Stay. Don't leave me. I need you._

"Hae Soo, stop," So growled. He told her to stop, but Soo felt him kiss her back, his lips as needy as hers. His hands held her shoulders, but he no longer tried to push her away. "Please, please don't make this harder. I can't… I can't stay. I can't handle not being with you but having to see you every day. It hurts me and I…"

Soo bumped her forehead against So's collarbone, closing her eyes and pressing her hands to his hips. "I need you," she said. "Please stay. Please don't go. I can't live without you."

She fought to keep him, held his clothes and touched his skin, trying to create her own magnet that would bring him closer. She needed him like she needed air to breathe. If he went away, she had no idea what she would do.

"Soo," So moaned, his fingers holding the back of her neck. Soo looked up at him and blinked back her tears, unwilling to lose. She could not give him up again.

Her heart pounded and her hands shook. She was so occupied with her desperation that she almost missed the words he breathed.

"I love you."

And suddenly, everything was still.

Soo's eyes widened and she felt something snap inside her. A tsunami of emotions rammed into her chest, shattering her ribs and taking her heart somewhere it could never hurt again. Her hands quivered and her entire body felt loose, as if she would float away with the wind that ruffled her skirt.

 _I love you._

The words echoed in her mind and she stared as So looked down when he realized she had heard. "Wh-"

His lips crushed against hers and his hands pulled her in, his strength easily overpowering her. Soo felt her stomach meet So's and she moaned into his lips. Her world shattered and rebuilt itself around him, putting Wang So at its center. She already had everything but him. She wanted nothing but him.

He was too good for her. Too clean and too raw. Untarnished by bad reputation or rumor, he was a person who the world had constantly stepped on- a light that flickered within her dark world of lies.

Soo kissed So and pulled back when the tears from her eyes fell onto his skin. She breathed deeply, unable to control her gasping sobs. "I'm sorry," she cried, pressing a hand to her mouth. _Sorry that I can't say it back. I'm married. It would only be unfair to you if I said it back._

"I'm sorry."

She muffled her sobs against her palm and So pulled her back indoors.

Soo tilted her forehead against his shoulder, clutching at his arms as she felt him walking through the hallway. They passed by his door and Soo stared back at the balcony of the smoking area.

Through the haze of her tears, she saw two metal ledges on the place So had stood, carrying her. One ledge was securely inside the building, meant to hold a long ashtray. Made of black metal, it acted as a guard to prevent people from toppling off of the building and into… the second ledge.

 _He was holding me inside the building. He was…_

Soo pulled at So's shirt and shook her head, wiping her tears against his tee. "Not my room," she whispered. He paused in his tracks and Soo held the back of So's arm. "Not my room. Take me to yours, please."

"Soo…"

 _"Please."_

They turned and Soo held So's hand, wiping her eyes of the relentless tears and entering his room when he unlocked it. Letting So guide her, Soo sat on his bed and inhaled as steadily as she could.

Her head spun, but she could see Wang So kneeling in front of her. Soo's heart broke when she knew it should be her bowing in front of him. The married woman that dragged her lover along because she could not let go of him or her husband. Even she found herself horrible.

 _He loves me. This man loves me. And I… I think I love him back._

His hands gently wiped her cheeks and Soo caught his palm as it caressed her skin. She found his racing pulse beneath her fingertips, touching his heartbeat and letting him brush her hair away from her face.

Holding his hand against her, Soo opened her eyes. She inhaled slowly, stretching her hand out to touch So's cheek. "I'm sorry I can't be perfect for you," Soo said as she touched him. "You deserve so much more than a woman who can't leave her husband. More than a woman who can't… who can't tell you how she feels."

So shook his head and Soo leaned up as he moved forward until his face was a hair's breadth away from hers. Their hearts beat as one and Soo kept her eyes open. So's words brought little huffs of air over her skin, causing goosebumps to run over Soo's arms and legs. Her mind went blank and she shivered at the black yearning in So's eyes.

"For all the bad things I've done in my life," he murmured, his lips just brushing over her ear, "just being near you is too much of a blessing. To me, you're perfect. It's me who isn't worthy of you."

So kissed her cheek and Soo gripped his hand as he continued. "I'll stay if you let me be your equal. Let me love you. Let me be what I am and keep me close so that I can protect you. Let me be yours forever."

Nodding her head, Soo kissed So's cheek. "Stay with me. Be my equal. Make me happy, but not unless you can let me do the same for you. I want to be your equal and… and protect you and keep you close. Let me… let me love you in the best way I can. Promise you'll never leave me again."

Their lips met and Soo opened her mouth in an instant, welcoming So's tongue and moaning as his hands rushed to tear her dress off. She did not care. All she wanted was to feel him. "I promise," So whispered as they kissed, his breathless grunts vibrating against her upper lip as he struggled to remove her dress.

"Ah," Soo panted as her first layer was flung aside. "Make it hurt. Fuck me hard," she pleaded in between erratic kisses. "I don't want to- to feel anything but you."

So's shirt was the next to go and Soo grasped at his taut muscles, gasping when he threw her onto the bed. Her teeth clacked together and So loomed over her, his hand hovering over her bikini.

A pull of a tie and Soo only wore underwear, her breasts exposed to So's amorous gaze. They kissed and Soo did not hold her reactions at bay, arching her back as So's tongue ran from her throat and trailed down her breasts and down her stomach, dipping into her belly button before rushing back up to capture her lips.

With one hand, So collected her wrists and pinned them above her head. Soo squirmed, wanting to touch him and feel him, but her feeble attempts at escape were no match for his strength.

So's other hand moved to her breasts, squeezing them. When he pinched her nipples, Soo moaned aloud, unable to contain herself. Jolts of electricity and the steady thrum of pleasure rushed over her body as So pulled away from their kiss to lavish his tongue against the peaks of her breasts, toying with the buds and gently biting down until Soo yelped and wriggled within his grasp.

"Ah, ow!" She whimpered and met eyes with So as he pressed feathery kisses to her breasts.

"I can be gentle," he said. "Just tell me to stop and I-"

"If you stop, I'll kick you," Soo said, thrusting her hips until they hit So's body. She breathed heavily as So smirked, shaking his head and swearing under his breath.

"So fucking sexy."

Soo felt a tingle of excitement run up her spine as she listened to So curse. He leaned his lips close to her ear as his hand held her breasts, toying with her peaks. "Do you know what kind of hell I was going through watching you dress the way you did without being able to touch you? Today, you're mine," he whispered hoarsely. Soo shivered and sighed as the deep vibrations of his voice created an ache between her legs. There was a desperation in his tone that made her melt under his dark gaze. "Today, your body belongs to me, and I'm going to fuck you until you can't walk."

"Please," she said, her voice a tiny squeak.

Little by little, her mental turmoil and emotional collapse disappeared from her mind. Soo fell to the whims of the rough, torturous pleasure So gave her, letting herself drown in the black depths of his eyes and be swallowed by the many emotions that engulfed her.

His teeth made themselves known against her belly and Soo tossed her head back when he kissed her through her bikini. The thick material of her swimsuit blocked most of the movement his tongue provided, but Soo opened her legs when she felt his tongue give a gentle swipe up her sex. So licked over her apex, but Soo continued to whine, wanting to feel more of him. Her swimsuit muffled too much of her pleasure and she wanted him closer.

She complained in erratic moans and disconnected words when So stopped kissing her sex and moved away, a smirk on his lips.

He left wet marks against her skin as he nibbled and bit at her knees, thighs, and stomach, slowly rising until he blew a stream of air onto her nipples and pressed his lips to her throat. He lightly sucked on her jugular and Soo sighed in adoration.

So released her wrists and Soo rushed forward to kiss him. She stroked him through his underwear, wondering when he had discarded his jeans. "Soo," So groaned, a new, guttural tone overtaking his voice. His lips met hers and he pulled at her bottom lip, kissing her teeth and squeezing her breasts until she pined for more. "Suck me off," he ordered.

Soo watched as So leaned over her, but she sat up and pushed him onto the bed before he could act. She held him against the pillows, shoving him down and kissing beneath his chin. Her lips met the spot between his ear and chin and she bit the place he liked, smiling as he pulled her closer. "May I mark you?" she asked breathlessly, one hand on So's chest and the other against the headboard.

So turned his head to peer at her and Soo smiled when he frowned before agreeing. "This body is yours."

Lowering her lips to the place she had just bitten, Soo pulled a bit of So's skin into her mouth, tasting the musky, salty flavor of his sweat and rolling her tongue over where she would lay her claim to the man beneath her.

She smoothed her hand over So's bare chest as she sucked on his throat, feeling his stomach clench with each of his erratic breaths. Her fingertips traced his nipples and So panted, his chest heaving. "Ow," he muttered. Soo felt her own need soar as So moaned. His reactions made her wet and his voice made her want.

She lowered herself against So, straddling his left thigh and grinding against it to try to increase whatever friction she could. She tried to ease the building need between her legs until So stopped her, his hand finding its way into her swimsuit. "Needy," he murmured, clicking his tongue and gently sliding his finger against her sex. Soo did not respond other than to open her thighs so that he would touch her more. So smiled before pulling at her final layer of clothing. "Do you want me to take this off?"

She desperately wished he would rip it off and fuck her, but So merely let go of her swimsuit and Soo released So's throat to marvel at her work. She wriggled in surprise as So leaned forward to lick her nipple and display the dark, wine-colored flower that bloomed beneath his jawline.

"Does it look good?" he asked against her chest. Soo squirmed against him as his mouth continued to play with her breasts.

Her breathless whines bounced off of So's shoulders and her hands grasped at his skin when he finally rewarded her for her work by removing her panties. She yearned for him to touch her, for him to make her scream his name and cum against his hand.

Soo leaned forward to kiss So but paused when his hand smacked her bottom, eliciting an unprecedented moan from her. Soo fell forward against So, her face burning and her body coursing with electricity as pain and pleasure became one.

"Didn't I tell you to suck me off?" So asked, his rough voice edged with need. Soo heard the slightest trace of humor in his tone and she pouted.

"I wanted to kiss you."

"So did I."

She nuzzled against So's throat, kissing her mark and trailing her tongue over his collarbone. She tasted his skin, picking up the light sheen of sweat on his body as her tongue dipped against the scars that roughened his exterior.

Tracing down the marks on his body, Soo slowly dragged her nails down his rigid muscles until her lips were parallel with the rise in his underwear. Using her teeth, she removed So's boxers and looked up at him, opening her mouth to the tip of his erection.

Their eyes met and Soo swirled her tongue over So's length, tasting the cock she had become familiar with. She stroked him as she slowly filled her mouth, bobbing her head to take more and more. Her other hand moved between her legs and she touched her wet sex, moaning against So's length as she pleasured herself. She wished he would touch her, but Soo relished watching So's reactions to her ministrations.

His eyebrows knotted in concentration and his lips parted, his breaths exiting in light huffs.

So exhaled and sat forward. He pushed pillows beneath his head so he could watch her from a better angle, and she chuckled and hummed softly, taking him as deep as she could before releasing his length and licking up its side. So moaned and Soo smiled when his hand reached to touch her cheek, his thumb entering her mouth. She rolled her tongue over his finger, batting her eyes and biting his knuckle.

"Come here," So said, opening his arms.

Eagerly, Soo crawled to her lover's side. He reached to take her hand and Soo blushed when he licked the fingers she had used to touch herself. "Couldn't wait?" he cooed against her fingertips, sucking on each one. When he released her, Soo yelped as he dragged her down and kissed her, his tongue running over hers.

Their kiss was messy, but Soo did not care. She straddled So and ground against his erection, ready to take him. "Are you wet enough?" So asked, his lips trailing over her cheeks. His voice sounded worried, but Soo shrugged his question off.

"I want it to hurt," she said, positioning him and urging him to take her. A single nod and So's hands clutched her waist.

She shrieked when he bucked his hips and penetrated her. Soo tipped her head back and rested her hands against his thighs, riding him. She smiled at the pain and pleasure that mixed into a delicious combination that sated her weeks of unfulfilled desire and finally gave her the contact she wanted.

He tipped her onto the bed and took her ankles, roughly lifting them to his shoulders. Her hands met the headboard as it hit against the back wall in sync with him. Soo felt the force of So's harsh thrusts, but whatever pain that resulted only enhanced the sensation of having him inside her again. Crying his name, she clawed at the wood atop the bed and just enjoyed.

So released his grip on her legs and Soo opened her arms to him as he leaned forward to crouch over her open knees. Soo closed her eyes when he kissed her. The sweat from his chest fell onto hers and Soo registered So's grunts and huffs, his hands roughly pulling her closer until they were in the center of the bed and Soo could not reach the headboard.

Sloppy, open-mouthed kisses were added to merciless thrusts and Soo held So's back, gripping him as he pushed in and out of her. "Harder," she begged, crying out and clawing at his back as he obeyed.

So's fingertips met her where they were joined and Soo arched as he rubbed her most sensitive point. She came undone almost as soon as he touched her, writhing as he brought her to the edge and tipped her without preamble, sending her body crashing into blinding pleasure.

Her nails dragged down So's back and she did not hear herself release. Instead, Soo kept her eyes on So until she could not keep them open any longer. Their lips met and he took each of her moans, stealing her away from everything else and making her his.

So pulled away from her and Soo whined until he squeezed her bottom and turned her onto her side. She followed without a fight, smiling when So laid in front of her, lifting one of her legs onto his hip and sliding into her again.

Soo relished each thrust he gave her after her orgasm. She could feel her nerves tingling, her spine aching, and her entire body entering euphoria.

"I love you," So said, panting into her ear. Soo felt her eyes widen, but she only hugged him tighter, kissing his skin as he grunted, drawing closer and closer. She could taste the sweat on his body, salty and powerful.

"Cum in me," Soo whispered as she heard So drawing closer. "I want to feel you cum inside me."

She gazed at his face, mesmerized. Kissing his chin and lips, Soo breathed in unison with So as he thrust deeper within her, his eyebrows knotting and his expression clenching as he grunted.

Soo pulled So closer, using her leg to press them even tighter against each other. She gasped as he moaned, his voice low and constricted. He shuddered and Soo kissed his forehead, watching him climax. His face contorted in ardor and she felt a swell of pride as she realized So's pleasure came from her. His mouth opened and his eyes closed as he released an elongated moan, his orgasm becoming one of nature's masterpieces. She found him beautiful.

After So came, Soo kissed him and ran her hand down his chest. "I love you," he whispered again.

She tried to respond. So pulled out from her and Soo looked into his half-lidded eyes as he bit his bottom lip.

 _I love you_ , she thought back. Her body trembled from the emotions that ran through it.

"I… I'm sorry," Soo whispered. "I can't say it back. I'm- I'm so sorry, So. I- please know that I really-"

"It's alright, darling," So replied, his voice hoarse and quaking. Soo sniffed as her chest heaved with the regret of the words left unsaid on her tongue. An invisible weight fell on top of her, but Wang So was there to take it away. His eyes were as wet as hers, but his tears never fell.

Soo leaned into So's touch when his palm caressed her cheek. "You don't have to say it," he said. Soo could hear disappointment in So's voice and and bit the inside of her cheek. "Just know that to me, you are everything. I love you, Hae Soo. I don't need anything from you- just your understanding."

They laid on the messy bed until So moved to the bathroom, leaving Soo alone on top of sheets that smelled of them both. Loneliness gnawed at her even when she knew So was only a meter away.

Reaching for a pillow, Soo pressed her still-flushed cheek to the cool cushion and waited for her partner. She looked around his room and noted the messy suitcase where his t-shirts, socks, and underwear were piled. In the open closet, two suits hung with their matching pants and three shirts.

He walked out from the bathroom and around the bed. Soo smiled when the mattress dipped under his knee, almost making her tumble against him. His hands were wet when they touched her skin and Soo gave a hum of content when he lightly kissed her forehead. She could see the purple mark against his pale jaw- _her_ mark.

It only felt right to have Wang So in her arms- to feel his body against hers. And now that he was out of the bathroom, Soo would use it to clean up.

She frowned when she noticed a washcloth in So's hand. "What—oh, no you—"

Soo blushed into her pillow when So opened her thighs with light hands. He chuckled and Soo hid her face when the wet cloth gently cleaned between her legs. "Wang So, you're the worst," she grumbled, unwilling to meet his gaze. He only continued to chuckle, and Soo turned to glare at him as he continued to wipe the remnants of himself from her body.

"Speak for yourself," he muttered back. "Hae Soo, your cheeks are red. Did I do that?"

The warm cloth touched her where So had just been, but Soo felt a new intimacy take a hold of her. She blushed deeper and held her gaze on So as he meticulously cleaned her. Yet, for how embarrassing it felt for So to hold her knees open and dab the white towel against her sex, Soo did not ask him to stop.

When he was satisfied with his work, So released her knees and Soo shut them with a huff, watching him expertly throw the towel into the bathroom sink from where he sat on the bed.

The wet cloth smacked against granite and So laid in front of her, his arms going around her and his smirking lips kissing her hot cheeks. Soo made a face at her lover as she snuggled closer. "Imagine if you'd missed and the towel hit a wall," she mumbled.

"I never miss," was So's immediate reply. Soo wrinkled her nose at him.

"Arrogance?"

"Truth."

They laid on the messy bed, neither willing to move away from each other long enough to curl up beneath the sheets. Soo rested her head on So's arm and tangled her legs with his. She felt a dull throb in her hips and knew she would be aching later, but she did not care- not when So was holding her again.

"No one's done that to me before," Soo muttered, too flushed to meet So's eyes. His lips met her forehead and Soo hugged his muscled body close.

So replied simply. "I doubt there's anything I wouldn't do for you."

Soo kissed So's chest, touching his scars with her lips. So's fingers trailed up and down her skin, tracing abstract patterns and drawing wobbling lines.

"I put you on the balcony to scare you into hating me," So said, his statement appearing out of the blue. Soo nuzzled against his neck, feeling it vibrate as he spoke. His Adam's apple moved and she touched it, brushing her fingers against the ridge on his throat. "So that you'd fire me."

She sighed and shook her head. "I've noticed you're not the best at setting long-term plans," she remarked. _Hell, I'm not the best either._ "How could I ever hate you? There is nothing in this world that could ever make me hate you. You can scare me all you want. I won't ever hate you."

So stiffened beside her and Soo exhaled slowly.

 _All these secrets you keep, Wang So. Let me bear your burdens, whatever they are._

She kissed his skin again, meeting his lips with hers when he touched her chin.

"Don't ever even _think_ about leaving me again," Soo murmured, gazing at So as his hand ran up her hip and back. "I need you. You mean so much to me."

They embraced and Soo accepted So's promise.

"I won't leave unless you want me to," he said. "I'm yours forever- to do with as you please."

* * *

 **Thank you to Krysyuy for being the best beta in whole world.**


	32. Surfacing

**As of today, I'm finally done with all my classes and school and everything. I'm on break until I start college. I'm so excited! Thank you to everyone that's offered me emotional support this past year. I honestly couldn't have done anything without you. Thank you all so much and I hope you enjoy this chapter.  
** **-PB**

* * *

 **Hwang Bo Wook**

Brushing his teeth, Wook smiled at the bathtub and chuckled when Soo smothered bubbles against Yoon's hair. "Yoonie has white hair!" declared his wife.

Wook leaned against the rim of the sink as he watched his family. After a long day of playing in the sun, Yoon and Mi were both red, and pale stripes of swimsuit lines crossed their little bodies. Even Soo was pink around her shoulders. Both their daughters sat in the tub, enjoying a bath with Mommy.

Yoon stood and threw masses of bubbles around, sending foam into Soo's and Mi's faces. The toddler laughed as her sister giggled and flicked water back at her.

Wook glanced over at Soo, knowing she would have preferred a bath to herself. She played with their girls and helped them wash their hair and bodies, but Wook could see her wincing when Yoon sat on her lap.

After he and Soo had gone swimming the night before, she had complained of aching hips and seemed to be in pain. Wook felt bad, wondering if his insistence on pulling his wife out for a private dip in the ocean was the reason she was hurting.

Spitting into the sink, Wook rinsed his mouth out and ran water over his toothbrush. He kept his eyes on his family, listening to Soo tell Mi about how she was afraid to have baths as a little girl because she thought she would fall into the drain.

When bathtime ended, Wook opened a towel and picked Mi out of the water, wrapping her in the fluffy cotton and laughing when her dripping hair made wet marks against his shirt. "Let's get you dressed, princess." With another towel, Wook pulled Yoon into his arms and kissed his girls on each of their cheeks. "You too, dinosaur."

Leaving Soo to wash herself and enjoy the rest of her bath, Wook carried his children through the suite and past the dimmed lights in the living room. He listened as they chattered, agreeing that yes, dinosaurs flew high, high, high in the sky and no, Kim Min Ji does not have to invite Yang Soo Bin to her birthday party if she doesn't want to.

Once in the girls' bedroom, Wook set Mi down first, telling her he would help dry her hair once she got dressed. He smiled when his little girl diligently went about her tasks, toweling herself down before running over to her pink bottle of lotion and proceeding to rub her arms and legs with its contents.

Wook grunted when Yoon's foot kicked his stomach. "Alright, little girl, let's get you dressed too," he said, rubbing the towel over Yoon's body while he still carried her. "Don't kick Daddy."

Wook huffed and prepared to chase after his naked toddler the moment he set her down. Yoon squirmed and called that she wanted to play, yawning and waving her arms. Wook did his best to dry his youngest's hair with the towel while also telling Mi to find her undies and then put her pajamas on.

"Daddy, play!" Yoon said, curling her fingers into claws. Wook nodded and laid his daughter onto the bed so that he could grab the kiddie lotion and a pair of Yoon's underwear and her pajamas. He breathed deeply, holding Yoon by one of her ankles as he dug through her bag. The naked toddler rolled and laughed in his grasp, calling out to her sister and kicking her little legs.

Wook located the lotion and hastily rubbed some onto his daughter's back and wiggling legs. He stood by as Yoon insisted on doing her arms and stomach. Catching his breath while she was occupied, he checked to make sure Mi was still alive.

His oldest ran a brush through her long, damp hair and carefully parted it in the middle, her eyes fixated on her reflection in the mirror.

When Wook returned his attention to his youngest, he snorted in defeat, staring at the white mask of lotion on Yoon's stomach and face. "I snowman," the toddler said, giggling so adorably Wook could not help but laugh with her. Yoon was all smiles before a bit of moisturizer entered her mouth. Then, her chubby face contorted and she whined. "Taste yucky! No!"

With the towel, Wook gently wiped his daughter's face and sighed as she complained. "Well you shouldn't have dumped lotion all over your face, sweetheart."

Yoon was quickly cleaned of the mess and Wook managed to ease his daughter into her underwear and pajamas without much of a fight. It seemed the little dinosaur was also exhausted after a day of swimming and playing.

The youngest was immediately placed into her cot and Wook thanked whatever god lived in the sky that she fell asleep as soon as her little body curled around a pillow. He prayed for rare days when Yoon went to sleep without having to be rocked, sung to, read to, taken to the bathroom, given water, and rocked again.

Turning to Mi, Wook held his daughter's hand and led her into the adjoining bathroom, closing the door and reaching for the hair dryer. He looked into the mirror and smiled at his child. Mi had Soo's eyes and nose, but Wook saw himself in her lips, chin, eyebrows, and ears. His little girl had her mother's dainty features and her father's strong jaw. He prided himself on being able to claim her glare and angry expressions.

Holding Mi's hair, Wook turned the dryer on and pointed it towards her. His hands flew over her thin locks, untangling as quickly as the wind tangled. Wook endured the scalding air that slammed into his left hand, making sure Mi's hair was thoroughly rid of any moisture and smiling with her when the long strands flew into her face.

"Daddy?" Mi asked. Wook met eyes with his daughter and switched the dryer off, sliding his fingers through the flimsy strands that covered her head. His hair had been the same way when he had been her age, tangling with the slight gusts of wind and gleaming like onyx when it was properly brushed. Wook had kept his hair short and cropped until it had thickened and started tangling less, but Mi had a mother who detangled and plaited her hair every morning.

"Yes?"

"I want a baby brother."

Wook nodded and hugged his daughter from behind, rocking her from side to side. "Did Kim Ah Rong's parents give her another brother?" he asked, chuckling as he thought about the little girl whose popstar father had spent huge sums of money on in vitro fertilization for his wife to have their twin boys. Mi shook her head and giggled.

"No! I just want a baby brother!" she declared, her little hands holding onto his. Wook stopped swaying and scooped his daughter into his arms, carrying her out of the bathroom and shutting the light off. Mi had grown so much and Wook did not anticipate the day she would be big enough to push him away and be embarrassed to be with him. But for now, she was still little and loved being with her daddy.

"I'll ask Mommy," he murmured, taking Mi to her bed. Wook wondered if Soo still wanted another baby. With Mi's insistence, his thoughts were brought back to the idea of having a third, and the more he considered having another, the more he grew to enjoy the idea.

The bed beside Yoon's cot was made with precision, but Wook's hand quickly unmade it and tossed pillows onto the ground, making sure his darling would not hurt herself if she fell off.

Tucking Mi in, Wook laid on top of her covers and watched his exhausted daughter's eyes droop shut, her hands gripping his t-shirt. "Daddy, I want… want a baby brother." Mi's mouth opened in a yawn and Wook resisted poking her tongue the way he had when she was Yoon's age. He kissed her forehead and patted her silky hair, gazing at the little face he had watched grow since her birth. Wook wondered if Mi was right about wanting a little brother.

He glanced over at Yoon who slept on her stomach. He imagined both girls would enjoy having another sibling- another little baby that would grow up into a feisty Hwang Bo.

* * *

Wook slipped into his bedroom and raised his eyebrows at his wife as she sat up in bed, wearing one of her nightgowns. She held his phone in her hands, flipping through something on the screen. His mind went into a panic as he thought about the pictures of Si Yeon he had yet to delete from his e-mail. Wook felt his hands grow clammy as he forced himself to walk slowly, sitting beside his wife.

"Aw, look at this one," Soo cooed, holding his phone out. Wook was greeted with a picture of Yoon in her little bikini, holding a shovel in one hand and a clump of sand in the other. Her hat was drenched and she giggled for the camera, her eyes closing and her tiny rows of teeth bared. Wook's fear dissipated and he moved closer to his wife.

"How's the pain?" he asked. Resting a hand against his wife's abdomen, Wook kissed her newly tanned skin and rested his cheek against her shoulder.

"Still aches, but the bath helped," Soo replied. Wook smiled at his wife and touched her chin. Soo's wide eyes remained fixated on the screen until Wook gently pried the pictures of their girls at the beach away from her.

He pulled Soo towards him, listening to her whimper when he sat her onto his lap. Soo's head rested against his shoulder and Wook kissed the side of her breast before lowering his head to kiss her aching hips. "I'm sorry," he murmured to her body. Soo's arms crossed over her chest and Wook sighed, breathing in his wife's rosy scent and running a hand up and down her thigh. "We should have just gone on a walk."

"It's fine, Wook. I think I just pulled something while swimming. This isn't your fault."

Nodding, Wook felt relief as his wife accepted his apology. "Mi wants a baby brother," he said quietly. In the dim, lamplit room, shadows cast over their faces and yellow lights washed over them, creating a romantic atmosphere for a mommy and daddy alone.

"I know." Soo's reply was quiet and Wook kissed her shoulder. "It's alright, Wook. You don't have to deny me anymore. I don't want another baby. We're good as we are."

His eyebrows creased and Wook nuzzled closer to Soo's throat as he thought about how he had acted towards her. He regretted pushing her away whenever she asked for a baby. With two girls, he was tested to his limits every day, but there was nothing on the earth that gave him more joy than being with his family. He loved his children with Soo no matter what physical turmoil they put him through.

"I want a baby, Soo." He felt his wife fixate on him as she registered his request. Soo bit her bottom lip and Wook saw uncertainty and fear in her eyes. He wondered why. "I think you were right when you asked me for one. I want another baby around the house…" He kissed her shoulder and collarbone. "A little girl with your eyes… or a boy with your cute nose…"

"We should sleep, dear," murmured Soo. Wook hummed and let his lips drag over soft skin.

"I want you, Hae Soo," he said. He held his wife's thighs and slipped her nightgown higher over her knees, skimming his fingers over Soo's belly and cupping her breasts beneath her dress. Her nipples hardened to his touch and he kissed the side of her mouth before capturing her lips, frowning when Soo pulled away.

"No," she said. Wook pulled his hands away from his wife, resting his palms against her thighs as she shook her head. He was unused to Soo denying him and the rejection gave him pause. "I don't… want to have sex anymore."

His eyebrows shot up at his wife's hasty declaration and Wook shifted himself to stare at Soo as she pulled the hem of her skirt lower over her legs. "Anymore?" he asked, still confused. Years of experience dealing with shifty characters could not have prepared him for his wife's blatant and abrupt decision. "What are you talking about?"

He pressed a hand to Soo's back and leaned close to her. "Are you alright? Is there-"

"Wook, I just don't feel like we connect anymore," Soo stated. Wook coughed as Soo's words punched him. "I'm sorry, dear, but I just don't want to have sex for the time being. We haven't been on the best terms and I don't want to make myself do anything I might not be fully into. I need time to myself."

He took a moment to digest her words.

"Okay," he decided, finally nodding his head. Wook had no intention of forcing his wife into anything. He had noticed her acting a bit differently, and he wondered if she knew about Si Yeon. He doubted there was any way she had found out; he was meticulous in cleaning up after himself, even his bodyguard was unaware of his former lover. "Yeah, we can take a break on the sex. Just let me know when you feel ready again, alright?"

He felt a warmth bloom in his chest when Soo smiled. With a gentle tug, Wook pulled his wife close and gave her a kiss.

"Goodnight, Hae Soo," Wook said as he laid down with her, wrapping an arm around Soo's waist and closing his eyes.

"Goodnight, Wook."

He could tell when Soo fell asleep, though she turned and tossed before she did. He envied her ability to sleep without much effort. Wook found himself lying awake in bed, thinking about the third baby he would have with Soo.

His thoughts drifted to the woman in his arms and Wook pressed his nose into her trapezius, inhaling her scent. The light whiff of rose and honey was so different from Si Yeon's vanilla and cinnamon. With Si Yeon he was excited and riled up, high on the risk, and drunk on her love. She acted as his drug and his getaway from the stress of work and home.

Wook remembered asking her if she would marry him if he divorced Hae Soo. They had laid in bed and he had proposed, asking if she would become his wife. Si Yeon had laughed.

 _"I may love you, but even I know not to bite the hand that feeds me, darling."_ She had sighed, touching his face. _"If your divorce with Hae Soo gets messy in any way or if you slander her in the slightest, her family will destroy you. They will ruin your political career as well as your party. Your president will fall and no one from your party would be elected again. We can't marry, Wook."_

Wook blinked as he counted the creases in Soo's nightgown. Unlike with Si Yeon, Wook now felt calm when he was with his wife. Soo was safe and stable. She was sweet and soft, easy to love and hard to hate. He had fallen in love with her because of her gentle demeanor and happy-go-lucky freeness. Later, he had found just how strong she was as a person. Even after they had suffered a miscarriage and his infidelity, she had stayed with him, forgiving him and loving him.

Sighing, Wook nuzzled close to his wife and pressed his hand to her stomach, feeling its flatness. He imagined holding her while she was big with his baby, feeling their little one's kicks and nudges against his hand. He remembered how terrified and excited he had been for Mi to arrive when Soo was pregnant. He had felt the same way for Yoon and Lily…

Wook's breathing hitched and his hand stiffened against his wife's stomach as he remembered their second baby. Their Lily Flower.

His heart began pounded and a cold sweat overtook his body. Shivering as old memories resurfaced, he remembered how happy he had been when they had finally succeeded in making their Lily Flower—the little blossom he had fallen in love with the moment Soo had triumphantly held a pregnancy test out to him.

But he had not been there for his son's birth. He had not been there for his wife when she needed him the most. He had not been there for Soo when she had been unable to speak properly, too shocked to fathom that their Lily Flower was gone.

Instead, he had been drinking himself sick with a woman he should never have spoken to.

Wook closed his eyes and sat up, moving away from Soo as he quivered.

He remembered being at his son's little funeral. It had just been himself and Soo. They had not notified their family. Wook knew Baek Ah would have hit him. Soo knew his mother would have wanted a large funeral procession.

Breathing heavily, Wook thought about the emotionless mask he had worn while watching his boy be cremated. It tortured him to recall that he had not cared. Not as the door to the machine had been closed, not as Soo had collapsed beside him, her black hanbok billowing and her hands over her mouth as she sobbed.

 _"Mommy's so sorry, darling. Mommy's so sorry."_

Wook looked back at his wife, his heart clenching at how still she was. He knew she was sleeping, but he could not bear to watch her be so motionless. Just a few years ago, she had been gaunt and pale, her lips cracked and her eyes hollow as she recovered from her depression… when she had wanted to kill herself.

Terror filled him as he realized he would have lost his wife if she had not been as strong as she was. Hae Soo had survived their most trying times without him and Wook had cheated. She had been through so much because of him. Wook wished he could go back.

How was it that it took this long for him to see how much he cherished and loved his wife? How could he have let their years pass in such a way?

Leaving the bed, he quietly fled their bedroom and slipped through the desolate living room and foyer. Goosebumps covered his arms and Wook rubbed his eyes as any tiredness in his body departed in a wash of cold dread.

He stepped into the girls' bedroom, glancing at the fish-shaped nightlight that cast rays of blue onto the floor. Creeping into the room, Wook leaned over his children and made sure they were tucked in and sleeping. His heart calmed down and he felt less scared when he gazed at his little daughters, watching them sleep and listening to Mi grind her teeth.

Yoon laid on her back, her arms raised over her head and her mouth open. Gently, Wook reached down to pull his angel's shirt down and tuck it into her pants. He brushed his hand over her head, feeling her soft hair and touching her forehead. Wook remembered how happy he had been when his second daughter's first word had been "dada".

When he walked over to Mi's bed, Wook saw the face of his first baby. He saw the baby that had incapacitated him and made him tremble when he had held her for the first time. He saw the baby who had first toddled on unsteady legs towards him… but he also saw his own failings in his oldest daughter.

He remembered when he and Soo had first separated after losing Lily Flower, and he had shouted at Soo, cursing at her and threatening to divorce her as she shouted back at him on her way to the car. Mi had cried in Soo's arms, wailing and holding her ears as they screamed at each other, and from then on, their bouncing girl had changed. And though Wook had initially blamed Soo, he knew it was his fault.

He had been a shitty husband, and Soo had left just to be able to breathe, taking Mi with her. When Soo had allowed Mi to stay with him for weekends, Wook had held his daughter with sadness and anger as the loud, mischievous little girl he had come to see as his partner in crime clung to him and refused to leave his side when they went to play. Mi had only been silent when she had held onto him and hid behind his legs. Otherwise, when Wook had left her with a movie on just so he could use the bathroom, she had called out for him in tears, screaming, "Daddy!" into the empty halls of their house until he ran to where she had curled herself into a ball, crying until he had enveloped her in his arms and wrapped a blanket around them.

Wook snapped out of his reverie and sat beside Mi's bed so that he could watch both of his girls. Wook was only too grateful his and Soo's dysfunctional relationship had not hurt Yoon in the way it had Mi.

Yoon turned onto her side and Mi kicked her blankets away. The lights of his life… they took his fears and made him strong. Wook felt powerful when he was with his girls because he wanted to protect his children. He wanted to be there for them and provide a wall for them to lean against even when they were older.

Kissing Mi's forehead, Wook tucked her back in and sat back. "I'm sorry, darling," he said quietly, bowing his head as his daughter continued to sleep. No amount of money had mattered to him and Soo when they took their daughter to therapy and sat with her and her psychiatrist to create scenes where Mi could learn to cope with her emotions. Even now, nothing mattered more to him and Soo than Mi and Yoon's upbringing—a reason why he had not left his wife, and why he assumed Soo had not left him.

Wook murmured his words low enough so that Mi would not hear him even if she woke. "Everything is Daddy's fault, and I'm sorry, Hwang Bo Mi. I should've been nicer to your mother. I should have been there for her when she was hurting. I… I shouldn't have left her."

* * *

Quietly, he slipped into bed beside his wife, shivering from the onset of emotions that tore him in half. Wook breathed deeply, trying not to wake Soo.

He thought about Lily Flower and hoped his son would forgive him. Wook knew he deserved to be despised by the son whose mother he had hurt and neglected. His throat clenched and Wook gasped as tears filled his eyes.

He leaned against Soo's chest, listening to her heart beat through her warm skin.

His tears fell sideways against his face and Wook held a hand against his mouth as he wept from the guilt that piled onto his shoulders. Shuddering, he moved away from Soo, turning his back from her so that he would not disturb her anymore.

Wook stared at the far wall and curled against the sheets, his hands fisted against his mouth and eyes. He repented for his indifference, shaking as sobs racked his body.

Something brushed his arm and Wook flinched as Soo held him from behind, her skinny body wrapping around him. "Sh," she murmured, her hand pressing to his chest.

Breathing deeply, Wook fought to control himself. He sniffed and wiped his eyes as Soo gently patted his chest. Wook turned closer to her, lifting his head as her arm slid beneath it. He laid beside his wife as she cradled his head in her arms. "Don't cry… dear," Soo mumbled.

Wook listened to his wife's half-asleep words of comfort and curled closer, tangling his legs with hers and pressing his stomach against her body.

"Your little brother is safe," she whispered. "He's safe."

Wook's eyes opened and he blinked through his tears. _I'm an only child…_ He took a deep breath before realizing his wife must have dreamt him as their daughter. _She thinks I'm Mi._

Nuzzling against Soo, Wook closed his eyes as her hand slowly rubbed his back.

"It's alright, dear. Sleep… sleep… The nightmares will go away," she mumbled.

Wook sighed as he finally began to calm down.

Soo touched him in a way she had not done before, calming him in the way she did with their children. Her hand gently patted his hair and back, holding him close to her breast and letting him feel her heart.

Yet, for all the comfort Soo offered, Wook could not help but feel as if they were different. He could see all of the pain he had caused his wife and how it had torn them apart.

* * *

 **As always, my amazing beta is Krysyuy. Krys, you're amazing.**


	33. Snitch

**So... I'm late because I just walked out of Avengers. You know, I'm not the biggest fan but dammit I cried like a baby at the end. Damn damn damn.  
** **-PB**

* * *

 **Wang So**

Seoul was still cold. Sharp winds blew snow in gusts and sleet was more common than sun, but So was content to sit on a bench with a cup of coffee in one hand as he looked at the little girl that sat beside him, a steaming cup of hot cocoa in hers.

Mi wore a coat over her school uniform and So watched the wind blow through the rabbit fur pom-pom that sat on top of her hat. Her legs were covered in black stockings and winter boots hugged her feet.

So drank his coffee as Mi kicked her legs back and forth. They sat together after school, killing time before the girl had to go to her piano lesson.

"I like your shoes," So commented, pointing to Mi's boots. The brown shoes were lined with fur and So watched as Mi tapped her feet together.

"They're my fourth favorite," she said, smiling at her feet. Mi looked over at him and So reached forward to wipe whipped cream from her upper lip. His thumb swiped over her mouth and Mi giggled as he looked around for a napkin before sighing and licking the cream from his finger. "Mr. So, were you ever little? Did you have a fourth favorite shoe?"

Chuckling, So wondered if Mi knew that adults all began as children. He then questioned why Mi even had a second and third favorite shoe. He shook his head and patted the little girl on her knit beanie. "When I was little, I didn't have a lot of money like Mi's parents do. So I only had one pair of shoes. They weren't all that nice," he explained. Mi listened attentively and So raised his eyebrows when she scooted closer until their legs touched.

"Mr. So only had one pair of shoes?" she asked, her eyes wide and curious. Nodding, So leaned back against the bench and smiled when Mi then leaned over to peek at the shoes he currently wore. Her brown boots tapped against his black Oxfords. "Didn't your mommy buy you shoes?"

Mi sat back and So shook his head. "I got my big brother's shoes. My mommy didn't get me shoes when I was a kid."

He thought about his mother and wondered how she and his father were. There were no memories of happiness he attributed to his childhood, and when So reminisced his early days, he did so with a bitter taste in his mouth.

Having been with Soo for this long, So had come to realize how much she taught him every day. Through her, he had learned that his parents were undeserving of his time; that he was more than just their second-born. He watched over her family every day, forgoing his days off because he loved his job. For the first time in his life, So found happiness when he woke up because every day, he got to see Soo and interact with her family.

As Mi sipped her cocoa, So remembered something strange he had come across while searching around Chae Ryung's desk for an old copy of Soo's schedule. He had unearthed a stack of old medical bills that had led to a night of research. The ones that had truly caught his eye were from a child psychiatrist that had cared for Mi when she was even younger. So had read through notes and prescriptions derived from carefully tailored appointments that had ultimately led to the conclusion that Hwang Bo Mi had anxiety because of instability in her life. Her need for stability was met with the doctor's suggestions for her parents to show her a strong front together as well as trying their best not to live separately.

Another discovery were the journals Chae Ryung had kept for Mi since she was a baby. So had read over every single aspect of Mi's tantrums, crying, and bedwetting. She had even shook whenever a stranger drew too close to her when she was alone. She had never played with children her age until she was five, and she had clung to Soo, Chae Ryung, or Wook because she could not trust anyone but them.

So understood why Soo did not want to leave Wook for him. He understood why she had sacrificed her own happiness to be with Wook, and looking down at the little girl that kicked her feet and hummed a song from the cartoons she loved, he understood that nothing was worth more than Mi's happiness and safety. So knew Mi still had a ways to go before her anxiety was completely gone, but he could tell that just as Soo had given up much for Mi's sake, he would have done the same for the little girl to be able to talk to her friends and sleep in her own bedroom without fear.

So imagined having a daughter like Mi. He wondered if he could be a good parent. Mi and Yoon seemed to like him enough, so So gave himself room to imagine that a child of his own would not find him as repulsive as he found himself. Perhaps his own child would love him the way Mi and Yoon loved their parents.

So sighed and looked out at the street. Having a child meant impregnating a woman, and he could not see himself with any woman other than Soo. Even the thought of touching or making love to someone other than Soo made him feel dirty. But the woman of his dreams was married. She already had children. Why would she want to have more with the likes of him? She had her husband for things like that.

Logic dictated that So would never be a father if he continued to love Soo, but hope and imagination fluttered in his chest like a little gust of fresh air. He thought about Guam, remembering a chance encounter that had planted the idea of becoming a parent into him.

* * *

 _The family was asleep, Chae Ryung in her room, and Wook's bodyguard also locked indoors._

 _Meandering around the desolate beach, So took a sip of the beer in his hand and kicked a small hill of sand, watching the particles sift in the wind. The air was cool, the scent of the ocean bringing a happy chuckle from his lips._

 _He had not realized how awful being single had been until he and Soo had parted. The yearning, the pining, getting erections at the very thought of her… So had become adept in the art of crossing his legs during meetings with the security team, using folders to cover his pants when Soo happened to drop things._

 _But none of that mattered anymore. So had Soo. He did not need anything or anyone else._

 _Sighing in content, he kicked another gust of sand before frowning when the breeze turned him in the direction of another person drinking on the beach._

 _An older man in a black shirt and pants drank from a bottle in a paper bag, smiling like an idiot and staring out at the same ocean So faced. The man was illuminated by the bright lights from the hotel behind him, his crooked grin twitching as he drank._

 _"Son of a bitch," So muttered. "Small fucking world."_

 _He walked towards him, no longer feeling the need to kick sand around. So stared as the man drank from his bottle again. "What is the General doing on a family friendly beach?" he called._

 _"I didn't know they allowed dogs on the beach," the man snapped at him. "Judging by the beer, I'll guess you're not hunting people. Sit, Wolf Dog, sit."_

 _So sat down beside his old mentor and chuckled, shaking his head. The cool wind blew past them and he looked at the man. "Park Soo Gyung, I haven't seen you in ten years."_

 _They clinked bottles together and Soo Gyung chuckled. "Oh, that was my alias wasn't it? Park Soo Gyung… and you? What do you go by these days, Kim Myung Seok?"_

 _Taking a long drink, So swallowed an icy gulp of beer and chuckled. "You almost got me. I almost told my real name to someone who set people on fire for a living."_

 _Looking out at the ocean, So smirked. He listened to the person beside him laugh. "I'm retired and you're still an asshole, Wolf Dog. I saw the family. Are you working?"_

 _"Currently? Yes. What are you doing here?"_

 _Soo Gyung only shook his head. "I'm here on vacation with my family. My husband and I- well, you don't need to know about that."_

 _So took a deep breath and looked at his friend. "How did you do it?" He met eyes with his mentor and watched as the older man frowned at him. "I'm retiring," So elaborated. "Going to live with my girlfriend and her kids. I just wanted to know how you hid your family. How come you're hanging out on a beach and not in hiding?"_

 _The sound of the sea covered their conversation from any that might be around to listen. A single drunk man loitered on a balcony near them, singing a song about a woman. So turned towards the water, admiring the stars and the moon that glimmered above it._

 _"You don't need to cover your family." Soo Gyung sighed. "Normal people don't need protecting. And we cover our backs well enough to blend in without effort. You're the one that cuts people open, right?" So watched him spit into the sand and slowly exhale. So shut his mouth as the older man began laughing. "Oh no, I remember you, Kim Myung Seok. You're the one with weird morals aren't you? One of the best, yet you don't sleep with your victims to lure them in and you always give children painless deaths. All those rules… and now you're retiring in your prime."_

 _Unflinching, So finished his beer and sighed. "Best keep your opinions to yourself. You're fifty-three and retired. I'm thirty-seven and still working. I have no qualms with throwing you into the ocean tonight. There are no friends in this line of work."_

 _He scoffed when Soo Gyung tossed his head back and roared with laughter. "Using my lines against me? Oh how far the pupil has come." So did not budge when the old man's hand connected with his back. "Retiring will be the best choice you ever made in your life. Get a job doing something normal- serve food at a restaurant or fold clothes at a department store. If you've got your paychecks saved, then even those jobs will feel like you're actually making a difference in the world."_

 _"Is that what you do now?" So asked, crushing his can. The cold metal flattened between his fingers and he scoffed again. "Didn't you kill a president? Now you fold clothes and cook food?"_

 _"I'm actually a taekwondo instructor. Listen here, Myung Seok"_ _—_ _the old man wrapped an arm around So's shoulders—"here's some final advice from your old mentor and friend."_

 _They leaned forward and So glanced around to make sure there was no one around them. In the early hours of dawn, they were the only ones on the beach._

 _"I didn't know if I could be a father or a husband. I just found someone I liked and married him. Kid, if you think you found someone worth giving up this life for, then you need to keep her. You need to stay by her and be hers until you die._

 _"She has kids? Good. Become their guardian and their dad. You've killed enough for this life and the next one. Devote yourself to being a caretaker and they'll take care of you. You can protect them with your body and they'll protect you with their hearts."_

 _So grunted when his mentor pushed him away, forcing him to stand and stumble against the loose ground. Glaring, he bunched his hand into a fist._

 _"Get out of my sight, Kim Myung Seok. We know too much about each other, so I'd like it if we never saw each other again. Good luck in the future."_

* * *

Hanging his head, So drank his coffee and heaved another sigh. His hair ruffled in the icy wind and he looked at his hands as a little pink mitten grasped one of them.

"When I was little," Mi said, "Mommy never let me get a kitten." So held back a laugh at the child's sincerity. He patted Mi's hand as her grip tightened. Her melancholic sigh almost made him lose control of himself. "Mr. So, if I get you your second pair of shoes, then can you get me a kitten?"

That time, So lost it. Leaning forward, he grasped Mi's hand as he laughed. His shoulders shook and he looked at the solemn little girl.

"Sure, kid," he said, patting Mi's head. "If you get me my second pair of shoes, I'll get you a kitten."

He grinned when Mi giggled and bounced in her seat. "Yay! Mr. So is gonna get me a kitten and Daddy's gonna get me a baby brother!"

So's smile disappeared as Mi hummed and sipped her hot chocolate. She kicked her legs out and So held her hand a fraction of a bit tighter. The idea of Soo having another baby with Wook was one So thought he could handle, but in the face of reality, he floundered. "Mi, does… does Mommy have a baby in her belly?" he asked, his voice quivering.

The little girl shook her head, the fluffy pom-pom on her hat jumping from side to side. "I don't know. But Daddy said he would ask Mommy if he could get me a baby brother."

Biting his tongue, So remained silent, nodding his head as he reminded himself that Soo had a right to her body. If she wanted to have another child, that was up to her. He knew she had wanted another for awhile.

 _It's only right that she ask her husband to provide the other half. I trust Soo and I love her. I can't help if she's married. I won't leave her if she has his baby. I love her and that's all that matters. Any children she has… I'll protect and love them too._

So sighed and thought about the news updates he had been receiving on his phone. Bad news in the political world. That was what he used to clear his mind of bad news at home. He remembered how there had been talk about Yo preparing a bill that would go against Wook's platform of lowering taxes… but no matter how much he tried to use those thoughts to clutter his mind, So always returned to Soo.

* * *

 **Kim Chae Ryung**

"I think the tailor needs to be called again. Mi's outgrown her winter dresses and Yoon needs something formal," Soo said. Chae Ryung wrote the orders down onto her notepad, nodding as she went. The steel nib scratched against the paper and she took half a second to admire the mother-of-pearl fountain pen Soo had given her for the new year. A rainbow of colors encased the black body that shimmered as it wrote.

"How many of Wook's cousins have yet to get married?"

Flipping backwards, Chae Ryung pursed her lips and found the page dedicated to family. "Three male and two female cousins. He has nine second cousins that have yet to marry."

She looked up as her boss nodded. Soo leaned back against her chair and closed her eyes. "We won't attend any weddings of second cousins. Wook can go if he wants to, but I won't and neither will the children. That leaves five weddings that may or may not happen soon… and Wook has his political things."

Chae Ryung flipped through her book and found the list for Wook's events for the next month. "There's a dinner for campaign donors and a luncheon for your husband's political party."

She looked up to see Soo pursing her lips. The older woman typed into her computer, no doubt checking her children's school site for any events that would also occur in the next month. The click of her mouse allowed Chae Ryung a few moments to herself. Soo would ask for her when she needed her services.

Chae Ryung did not need to look around to know what the office looked like; she had been in there millions of times. Yet, each time she sat in Soo's office, surrounded by paintings, bookshelves, stock indexes, and platinum picture frames, she felt a repressed want for the perfect glamour that seemed to surround her employer.

Of course, there were dirty things only Chae Ryung knew. As the first member of the staff, she had had a front row seat to every single family event. Wook's past cheating, Wook cheating again, Wook breaking up with his mistress. Soo's miscarriage, Soo's depression, Soo's controlling family. Yet through the dirty and disgusting, the nanny still wanted everything both her employers had. Their perfect facade, their perfect life.

Soo sat in her beautiful office in a white Chanel blouse. Her checkered pants were Armani, her necklace Tiffany's. A ring made of diamonds sat on her finger as a representation of her marriage, and on that same hand, a gold watch with a sapphire on the twelve mark glinted as Soo reached to flick something off of the picture frame that held the giggling faces of her children.

Chae Ryung glanced down at her own clothing. Her white blouse was twenty thousand won, her pants forty. Not a single piece of gold or diamond was on her body, and her watch was generic and bland. A white face against a leather strap.

She wanted the prestige of Wook's career and the elegance of Soo's life. The politics, the Baccarat glasses, the beautiful children, the Birkin bags. It was enough to make her salivate.

Of course, her current job did come with its perks. After working for Soo and Wook for seven years, Chae Ryung had amassed a collection of high-end goods that her bosses gifted to her every holiday. Two plane tickets for herself and a friend every Thanksgiving, alcohol and something small for the new year, and special gifts for Christmas and anniversaries. Chae Ryung remembered receiving a laptop for her fourth year of working for Soo and Wook. After Yoon was born, her gifts had only risen in price and quantity.

She knew she was an irreplaceable factor of the household. Soo and Wook needed her to keep the house running. If connections meant power, then Chae Ryung knew she was the most powerful person in the Hae-Hwang Bo household. Through Soo and Wook, Chae Ryung lived in the lap of luxury, raising children that were not hers while striving to create the foundations for her own attempts to reach her employers' social status.

"I think I'll have Wang So guard us during the political events," Soo said. Chae Ryung felt her cheeks heat at the sound of the bodyguard's name.

A sudden memory overtook her and she coughed as she remembered passing by So's bedroom door in Guam. Hotel doors muffled many noises, but loud sex was not one of them. Chae Ryung had overheard him, breaking all rules and having sex with someone while on duty.

At first, she had dismissed Wang So as another bodyguard that would lose his job once Soo found a way to get rid of him. He glared too much and spoke too little to be Chae Ryung's type, so she had avoided him except on work-related matters. But, due to their close proximity, there were bound to be mishaps. Chae Ryung had quickly realized that her new coworker was the rule-breaking, annoying type. After living beside Wang So for a few months, Chae Ryung had heard more than she had ever wanted to from her usually silent coworker. If she had wanted to hear him jack off in the shower, she would have gotten a job in the porn industry.

"-Ryung. Chae Ryung!"

"Hm? Oh, yes?" She snapped out of her reverie and blinked at Soo. The older woman raised her eyebrows.

"Is my bodyguard's schedule available for him to attend political events with us, or do I have to move things around again?" Soo's voice was gentle and Chae Ryung opened her mouth to answer, but all she could remember was the clear breach in contract So had committed.

"I would like to report a breakage of rules," she blurted. Chae Ryung stared as her employer's eyebrows rose even further. "In… Wang So…"

Soo's surprised expression made Chae Ryung continue. She cleared her throat and set her notepad onto her lap. "I feel like he's been neglecting the rules these days."

Chae Ryung grasped the edges of her chair and leaned in. Soo moved away from her computer and motioned for her to continue. "Has he been neglecting his duties or…"

"In a way, yes," Chae Ryung said. "I don't want to galvanize you, Mrs. Hae, but in Guam, I walked past his door and overheard him having… _relations_ with a woman – while on duty."

She did not imagine the scandalized look on Soo's face. Her employer reddened and Chae Ryung wondered if Soo was embarrassed. _Hell, I'd be embarrassed if my bodyguard was caught fucking some girl while on vacation._

"That's quite an accusation. Do you know who he might possibly have been with?" Soo asked. Chae Ryung bit her bottom lip as memories of standing by So's door resurfaced.

 _I've had to listen to him jack off in his room, you think I want to remember the woman he screwed? And why does that even matter?_

"I was not around long enough to discern who she was," Chae Ryung said. "I was just at the hotel to grab something for the girls."

"Ah."

Chae Ryung continued as her employer nodded. Taking that moment, Chae Ryung vented her annoyance towards Wang So to her. "I've noticed he doesn't adhere to the dress code as well. And he also constantly brings up restricted talking points with Mi. I believe he's consistently spoken to Mi about cats."

Chae Ryung frowned when Soo shrugged her shoulders and returned to her computer. "If he was in the hotel, it means I was in the hotel. I trust he would have been able to protect me if an incident were to occur." She seemed nonchalant for someone who had waxed poetic about making sure her bodyguards were always in line. Chae Ryung wondered if Soo was smiling. "I will speak to him about the dress-code breaking, the cats, and… the relations."

Soo closed her folder and Chae Ryung blinked as her employer smiled at her. "I think we can stop scheduling for the day. Please tell Wang So to come here."


	34. Confession

**Ahahahahaha I'm going on vacation tomorrow and I have 0 things packed. Being an adult is hard. So... yeah, I'm going to Jeju Island tomorrow. Gonna be cool. Not allowed to take my laptop... so I will try to respond to comments on my phone now that I somewhat have the time. I really really love reading your comments! They honestly help me so much when I write :)**

 **-PB**

* * *

 **Hae Soo**

She smiled softly, waiting for So to arrive. Straightening the things on her desk, she wiggled in her seat, already forgetting the majority of what she had just spoken to Chae Ryung about.

She pulled at her shirt, smoothing her pants and hastening to take her wedding ring off and dump it into her desk. The diamonds clacked against the wood bottom of the drawer she tossed it into, uncaring of where it bounced off to. So was coming, and she did not want him to see her ring if she could help it.

Standing from her seat, she leaned against her desk, trying to come up with a way to greet So. Her palms tingled and her stomach fluttered with excitement as she was finally about to see her boyfriend for the first time that day.

Soo went through multiple poses, wondering if So would want to see her drop a pen as he walked in. She unbuttoned one part of her shirt before buttoning it again. Her hands clasped the sides of her desk before she decided against it and stood straight. She tossed her hair to one side before huffing and tossing it onto the other side.

 _Does he like my hair parted a certain way? Am I wearing enough perfume? Am I wearing too much perfume?_

Soo pressed her hands to her blushing cheeks, too excited for her own good. Her stammering heart leaped at the sound of a knock on the door. Three sharp raps and Soo was smoothing her clothes one last time, finally deciding to just sit against her desk.

"Come in," she called.

The door opened and Soo raised her eyebrows at So, noting a gleam in his eyes even though his face was blank. He wore his usual suit, but today his shirt was a dress code-breaking shade of black and he wore no tie. Soo wondered if she really was being too lenient...

 _But he looks amazing today._

"Close the door, please."

The door was shut and Soo muffled her laugh when So rushed forward and placed his hands on her hips, pulling her close. Holding him tightly, she smiled when his warm scent enveloped her: clean laundry and cologne.

She toyed with the lapels of his jacket, tugging at his front and giggling when So reached down to hold her bottom. He squeezed her ass and Soo wrinkled her nose at him, accepting his kiss.

When they parted, Soo let her bottom lip jut out as her expression changed into a pout. She looked up at So, meeting his narrow eyes. "Chae Ryung tells me you were being bad during the vacation," she said. So's hands moved to hold her waist and his eyebrows rose.

"Oh really?"

Nodding earnestly, Soo heaved a sigh. "She says she passed by your hotel room and heard you having sex with someone." Soo failed to hide her spreading grin and So smirked at her words. Holding a reprimanding finger up to her boyfriend, she continued. "As your employer, I must tell you you're not supposed to have romantic or sexual contact while on the job."

She giggled when So frowned and bit the tip of her finger, taking it into his mouth and sucking on the digit. His hot tongue rolled over her skin and Soo pressed just a bit closer.

"What if," he said, releasing her index finger, "it's my job to make my employer feel good? What if my employer is the reason I have to get romantic and sexual?"

Their lips met and Soo melted into So's embrace, following him as he swayed. "As your employer, I can't argue with that," she said with a sigh.

"Good."

Guiding So to her seat, Soo told him to sit before moving to perch on his lap. So's arms snaked around her waist as she sat on top of him, gazing at her partner's handsome face. "I'm supposed to be telling you how to do your job," she said. So's hand moved to touch her stomach and his fingertips lightly drummed against her shirt. "Chae Ryung doesn't like that you break dress code and talk to Mi about cats. She thinks you break too many rules."

So hummed and Soo felt his lips brush her cheek, his rebuttal soft and his caress even softer. "But does she know my girlfriend likes my sense of style and my girlfriend's kid loves talking about cats? Does she know her employer has strange tastes in men?"

A laugh escaped her lips and Soo pressed a kiss to So's mouth before offering him tea. "You must be tired from working such long hours," she said, scooting off of his lap to make for her drink stand. "Having to protect your girlfriend's family… keep her kids happy… keep her happy… How do you do it?" Soo glanced back at So and watched as he lazily turned in her seat, his eyes flitting between her and the picture frames on her desk.

"My job comes with an Italian espresso machine," So said back to her. "That and the sex is phenomenal."

Soo smirked and started the electric kettle. She used a tiny pair of silver tongs to place a few tea leaves into her teapot, waiting for the water to boil. The teapot was the color of dirt, its traditional body glazed and decorated with black patterns. She ignored the sugar cubes and looked away from the little container of honey. So liked things kept unsweetened.

"You know I was super sore after we had sex in Guam?" Soo asked. She turned to look at So as he gave her a smug look. "I could barely walk straight." She expected a snarky response from her usually quick boyfriend, but this time So just nodded and looked back at her pictures. His hand reached to pick up the picture of Wook holding Yoon for the first time. Soo wondered why So was interested in that one.

When the water rose to a sufficient temperature, she pulled the kettle away from its base, pouring steaming water into the teapot and watching the leaves inside float.

Reaching for a little tea glass, she added a saucer beneath it and set it onto a tray along with the teapot. She walked the

placement over to her desk and set it in front of So, immediately reaching for the teapot and pouring a glass for him.

Water fell into the cup below, its path directed by hands trained from years of etiquette lessons. Not a single drop fell off the cusp or dribbled down the side of the pot.

"Are you still in pain?" So asked when she had returned to her spot on his lap. She could feel the chair dip at the addition of her weight, but Soo cuddled against her partner as he thanked her for the tea and took a sip.

"Not anymore. I stretched and had time to recover," she replied happily. Soo noticed So's hand returning to her stomach and his dazed look returning as well. His fingers curled in her shirt and Soo felt his hand cross over her skin, touching her belly. "So, are you alright?" Worry laced her voice and she nudged her forehead against his to feel for a fever. He felt completely fine. "Do you not feel well? Have you been sleeping well these days?"

So remained silent for a few seconds, but Soo waited until his eyes met hers. "Are you going to have a baby with Wook?" he asked.

The question caught her by surprise, but realization finally arrived after its sluggish journey. Touching her stomach, holding onto the picture- it was all because he was preoccupied with thoughts about her… and the plans Wook had asked her about.

"Wh-what?" she stammered. "How do you know about that?"

"So it's true." There was dejection in So's voice and his eyes turned away from her in favor of looking at her stomach. Soo wondered if he could see how much it was lurching.

The thought of having another baby was one she had entertained since Yoon learned to walk. She had wanted to add another pair of pattering footsteps to the sounds of the house and hear 'Mommy' from another little person she would give birth to. Her baby would have brought Wook closer to her.

But now, sitting on Wang So's lap, Soo felt that she did not want another baby- not while she was caught between two men. It was already bad enough that she refused to let go of her husband for her lover, but to have another child with Wook would only hurt So. She wanted a baby, but not at So's expense.

"Are you really going to have another with him?" So asked.

 _He's jealous,_ Soo thought. The need to apologize to him gnawed at her heart and Soo exhaled slowly, sighing as So's hand grew still against her abdomen. "No."

There was a beat, but So was already speaking, his forehead resting against her shoulder. Soo felt the weight of his head against her as she listened to his deep voice. "Whatever you choose," he said quietly, "I'll support and love you. If you want another baby, then I won't stop you. I know how much you wanted another. If a baby will make you happy, then..." Soo blinked as his lips met her shoulder and his thumb rubbed a circle just beneath her belly button.

"I want you to be happy," he continued. "No matter your choice, I will respect your decision, but let me sway you. Let me argue my case before you."

Turning towards So, Soo caressed his face and gently tipped her forehead against his, their lips a breath apart. As she inhaled, So did the same, their breathing patterns matching. She loved how his hands held her, fitting against her like puzzle pieces. "You don't need to argue your case," she said. Her lips softly brushed against So's as she spoke and Soo closed her eyes. "I won't do anything unless I know it won't hurt you. A baby would only drive us apart… and I..." She could not continue.

Their lips met, soft and loving. A weight formed against her chest as So kissed her—the kind of weight that could only be alleviated with words and confession. However, the words she had in mind were heavy and weighed down for only the most important people in her life. Mi, Yoon, Lily Flower… Wook…

 _Hypocrite,_ Soo thought to herself. _You can tell Wook but you can't tell the person that needs to hear it the most? You've never felt this way towards a man- even during your best times with Wook._

Making up her mind, she kissed So before pulling away. He was one of the most special people in her life- a facet that she knew she would never be able to survive without.

"Wang So," she murmured. Soo looked at her partner and So's gaze met hers. Reaching forward, Soo brushed his fringe away from his eyes and swallowed thickly. Her focus rested solely on the man that she cherished. Unable to tell him if she would have a baby or not, and unable to put his fears to rest, she said the words that she should have told him so long ago. "I… I love you."

So's eyes widened and his once melancholic face morphed into a smile- a smile that sent the baggage on Soo's shoulders and the weight on her chest flying away. He was radiant and he was hers. Her man. The man she loved.

"I love you," she repeated, tasting the sweet words that made her heart flutter and her palms tingle with excitement.

 _It feels so good to tell him._

Soo gave a breathy laugh as So blinked, his lips spreading into the widest grin.

The next thing she knew were So's hands as they held either side of her face and his lips as they crashed onto her. She giggled when they pulled away.

Pecking So's lips once more, she held his hips and pulled herself as close to him as she could. "I love you," she said again, her voice filled with certainty.

When she looked into So's eyes, she only saw happiness. Nothing but adoration shone in his gaze and Soo knew hers was the same. "I love you," he said with a smile. Soo kissed So's chin as she admired the beautiful grin she had worked so hard to coax out of him. She hoped he would never lose that smile.

* * *

Soo stood by the door with Mi and Yoon as Wook took his shoes off. In his left hand, he carried a bouquet and Soo heard her children gasp at the sudden appearance of flowers.

"Hello, darling," Wook said as he stepped into a pair of house slippers. Soo smiled for him as he approached, his arm snaking around her waist. She blinked as his lips met hers.

Kissing her husband, Soo pressed her hands to his chest, noticing how much longer their embrace was than usual. When Wook released her, Soo found herself in possession of a bouquet of daisies.

Wook kissed their children and patted their heads as they chirped about their days. Soo handed the flowers off to Chae Ryung before moving to stand beside her husband.

She loved two men, yet she loved them both for such different reasons.

She felt no flutter in her heart and no need for kisses or laughter with Wook. With him, she only felt history. Wook was the cement holding her past together. He was the father of her children and the reason she had two beautiful girls to adore. She had suffered alongside Wook and suffered because of him. Yet no matter how much she had once hated him, he was her family no matter what.

But with So, she was happy and free; her worries fluttered away and her stress left her body when she was with him. He gave her laughter and unconditional love. He stayed with her even though she was a horrible girlfriend, and he loved her even though she was married. He was someone she could not live without and someone she adored with every piece of her being. She saw a future with him. Though it looked unstable, Soo knew she would fight to keep Wang So by her side.

* * *

After dinner, Soo sat in the sitting room, dressed in fluffy pajamas and wrapped in a warm blanket. She flipped through channels on the TV, searching for anything worth watching.

She looked away from the screen when her shirtless husband collapsed onto the cushion beside her, slinging his arm around her shoulders. Soo rested her head against Wook's chest and noticed his pants matched her pajamas.

"I don't know how many video conferences I had to sit through at work today," he said as she changed channels. "How do you do it every day?"

"Practice and comfy pants under the desk," Soo replied, smirking at her husband's complaint. Wook's shoulders rose and fell as he laughed. She blinked when he kissed the crown of her head.

"I should learn how to sit still during video chats from you. You can teach me how to be patient when the wifi glitches. We pay so much for 4G wifi, but does it actually work?"

Chuckling, Soo pulled her legs onto the sofa and laid against Wook. "It does, and Chae Ryung writes nice customer reviews to the CEO of our wifi and cable companies every month," she said idly. "I have our schedules prepared for the weekend. We can meet your parents here or at the restaurant I've booked."

Soo dreaded weekends. She had finally gotten reprieve from her mother-in-law in Guam, but when she returned home, her phone almost burst beneath the number of texts Wook's mother had sent to her, demanding what she was thinking taking the children to the ocean in the middle of winter.

Wook shook his head and Soo sighed, prepared to rebut whatever stupid comment he made about her being nice to his mother. "I'm sorry, dear, but you'll have to cancel the restaurant," he said. Soo frowned and turned the TV off. "I've disinvited my parents from on weekends and without notice. I'm sorry, Soo, I should have done this much sooner."

She sat up immediately, staring at her husband as he offered her a little smile. "I was wrong," he continued. Soo stared through Wook's glasses and into his eyes as her own filled with elated tears.

"Thank you," she whispered. Relief washed over her tense muscles, easing the years of stress that had piled onto her shoulders. Wook's hand met her arm and Soo hugged him tightly, thanking him for finally refusing his mother entrance into their home.

She did not protest when he picked her up from the sofa, carrying her—blanket and all—to their bedroom. He held her the way he carried their children, and Soo crossed her ankles behind his back.

Wook laid her onto their bed and Soo let him kiss her. Her hand met his neck and she smiled. "You know," Wook murmured. His lips pressed to Soo's cheek and she scrunched her nose as he whispered by her ear. "I think we should try for another. A little sibling for our girls."

Soo's eyes opened and her hand touched the light stubble on her husband's cheek. "Not today," she said. Wook rested his weight onto his elbow and Soo laid a hand against his chest, lightly pushing him away. "I told you I don't want to."

There was resignation in Wook's eyes. He silently nodded his head before moving off of her. Soo moved when his arm wrapped around her and dragged her close. Her nose bumped against his chest and she sighed when Wook pulled the covers over their shoulders.

"Then I'll just have to wait until you feel ready," he said. Wook's hand ran up her spine and Soo closed her eyes as her husband continued. "I can wait, Hae Soo. The choice is up to you, but know that I am fully prepared to welcome another baby into our family."

* * *

 **All the love the Krysyuy for keeping me focused and for beta-ing all my stuff. 3**


	35. Allegro

**Thank you all so much for commenting last chapter. I get your guys are super frustrated with Wook, so how about I treat you to some SoSoo?  
** **Enjoy :) 3**

* * *

 **Wang So**

"Call me when your lesson is over, okay? Even if the bus is going to pick you up for math lessons, I want you to call me so I know you got on alright," So said, handing Mi her piano bag. The pink tote was large against her little body and So smiled warmly when she checked its contents to make sure her four books were inside. "Repeat what I just said, Mi."

"Go to piano, and be good, and call when piano is done, and go to math, and then call again," the girl chirped back. "Mr. So, can I have some money for a snack after piano?"

"Close enough, and no because Mommy says you can't spoil your appetite. The math bus will bring you home, okay?"

"'Kay!"

He held her hand and led her toward the piano teacher that waited outside the fancy academy. Mi's fluffy mittens fit snugly in his hand and So gave the child a warm pat on her head before bowing to her piano teacher.

So watched the young man put a hand on Mi's shoulder and lead her inside. His name was Lee Dong Hun. Thirty-two, father of one, and a former performer, his record was spotless and his skills as a pianist and teacher made the waiting lists for his academy long. The clientele asking for his tutelage were filled with only the richest and most skilled pianists, allowing the teacher to pick and choose among the more savory. So knew very well that Mi and Yoon were admitted without hesitation.

He did not care for the piano teacher's less than stellar morals, but he knew not to judge- not when his hands were stained with worse.

When Mi's teacher helped her out of her coat and took her tote, So returned to his car and started it. Driving to a nearby coffee shop, he parked and collected his laptop and phone, connecting to the cafe's wifi. He jumped through the hoops he had created to prevent anyone from looking into his private matters, punching in passwords, activating proxies, and evading the trap folders that would overrun the computer with a virus if it were to be compromised.

His bank statements were growing stale and stagnant. So glared at the Australian bank account that collected the funds from the strange benefactor that continuously paid him to just… be still.

Whoever was paying him was an amateur, a coward, and a novice to the dangerous game they played. So had seen this type of bumbling silence before. People who did not truly want to become murderers… people whose humanity or cowardice prevented them from taking the plunge.

So did not care who it was behind him, but it unnerved him that his employer was not making much contact other than to send him a slowly dwindling amount of money.

 _I've gotten lazy, slow,_ he thought to himself. So glared down at his screen and acknowledged that he had let himself go. It would have taken him less than three months to determine his benefactor's weakness based on the amount of pay cut and the length of time between the first request and the order to kill.

What worried him the most was the inevitable moment when his benefactors eventually ran out of money. So was one of the priciest options on the market because he was meticulous and precise. There was never a hint of doubt in his past kills, but if his benefactors ran out of money, then they would use a cheaper, dirtier hire to off Wook and- possibly- his family.

 _I need to prepare. These people seem to be afraid that if they cut off my money, I'll turn around and bite them. They're slow and inexperienced. This could be to my advantage._

So knew he could take out any meager buy willing to kill a politician for a few zeroes at the end of a one. Because it seemed the money rose and fell with Wook's movements in the political sphere, So feared for the day Wook proposed a more outlandish tax or cut. Already, there were rumors that Wook was spearheading an attempt to shoot down Wang Yo's newest attempt at a bill.

As much as So hated infighting and wished to support his own blood, he knew helping Wook would only keep Soo safe. If keeping Wook alive led to So being able to see and love Soo, then he would accept that bittersweet bargain for his woman.

His woman… it felt strange to refer to Soo as something that belonged to him; if anything, he belonged to her. So knew his futile attempts to create his own family with Soo were… well, futile. She was married and he was delusional. Yet, as each day passed and as he drove her girls around, So could not help but imagine a place where he was actually their father and Soo was his wife.

It was a sweet dream, but just a dream.

He drove home, entrenched in his thoughts. There was little room for doubt and So stared at the streets ingrained into his brain from months of driving up and down them. He could navigate Soo's neighborhood with his eyes closed.

Grumbling under his breath, So mulled over the amount of time he had left before the money ran out and he was replaced. Shoving the front door open, he kicked his shoes off and tossed them onto the rack meant for the servants' shoes. Only his shoes were there; he had waved to the maids who had declared they were going out for an early dinner before Wook and the girls came home. Chae Ryung was out collecting a crate of wines Soo had ordered, and the cook was also out, making a quick run to a knife store to have the house's knives sharpened.

Music filled the serene house, pulling So away from his dark thoughts and bringing a smile to his face. There was no one in the lavish house but him and Soo.

He followed the flowing notes, using his ears to guide him towards the source of the gentle melody. Any thoughts in his mind receded and he opened the doors of the piano room, letting them shut behind him.

A cream-colored skirt cascaded off the black leather seat as slim feet encased in black stockings lifted and lowered golden pedals at the base of the grand piano. Pale fingers floated over a black and white puzzle, pressing keys in order to exact a perfect tune that lured So towards the pianist.

He reached her in two strides and buried his face in her soft neck as she continued to play.

"Hello, darling," he murmured against Soo's skin.

"Hello, my love."

So rested his head against Soo's shoulder, closing his eyes and enjoying her performance. "Debussy," she said. So felt her tip her forehead against his when she ceased playing. "I hate Debussy."

"Yet you play it?"

"Him," she corrected. "And right now, I can only seem to remember Debussy. I tried the Nocturnes; I tried the Requiems. Bach, Rachmaninov, Chopin… but right now, all I can remember is Debussy."

So had no idea what she was talking about, but her frustration was adorable and he kissed her throat, taking that moment to hug her from behind. "The piece… it sounded happy—like a lullaby." He spoke without knowledge, only citing his feelings, but Soo nodded her head and agreed.

"Clair de Lune used to be my favorite."

"What's your favorite now?"

There was a pause and So frowned when Soo stood, removing herself from his grasp. He stood behind the piano bench and eyed her as she walked around it to hold his hand. Her cold fingers curled around his and So leaned in to give Soo a kiss, snorting when her hands pushed his coat off of his shoulders.

Following her guidance and letting her pull him around the bench, he sat and faced the instrument. He looked down at the white and black teeth that all seemed identical, yet each emitted a different note when tapped.

"Can you play?" Soo asked.

"Mean Hae Soo, asking the poor boy if he can play piano," So said with a laugh. He wrinkled his nose when Soo swatted his arm before kissing his cheek.

"That's not what I meant and you know it," she protested. Her cheeks stained pink and So attempted to kiss Soo, but noticed her dominant position required much work on his part to reach the lips that beckoned to him.

Her arms went around him and So felt his breathing hitch when her hands gently guided his to positions on the piano. Cream-colored sleeves touched his black jacket, and a gold watch glittered beside his worn, leather one. Her breath curled around his ear, sending goosebumps trailing down his arms. So stiffened at his girlfriend's sudden actions and followed her lead as she made his hand press out certain keys.

"A, A, E, E, F sharp, F sharp, E," she whispered, her lips grazing his ear. Shivers ran down So's spine, rendering him nearly immobile. He had not expected foreplay to begin at the piano, and surprise was not his friend.

"Twinkle twinkle little star?" he asked, shuddering as Soo's other hand slid down his chest. Her body moulded around his back and she nuzzled close, taking his breath away. Her body heat seeped into his spine and So resisted the urge to turn around her soft, potent methods to arouse him. "Hae Soo…"

Heat rushed to his groin as Soo's tongue lightly flicked up his ear and her lips fluttered against the place between his ear and his jaw. All the while, her hands guided his into a clunky melody that paused and started at odd increments, grinding out a children's song that was almost foreign beneath the inexperienced hand that played it.

"Ah." So tensed when Soo took her hands away from his, letting her fingers graze over his arms until her nails swirled over his chest, raking over his shirt and pulling his jacket off to throw onto the pile his coat made. Her hands returned to his chest, and Soo pressed a light kiss to the side of his mouth as her fingertips caught against his nipples. He exhaled loudly before turning his head when directed and opening his mouth to Soo's tongue. Her fingers toyed with his chest and her tongue met his before quickly retracting behind a giggle. When he tried to kiss her harder, she pulled back and narrowed her eyes.

"The student should never try to lead the teacher," she murmured to his lips. So stared at his beautiful girlfriend as his erection painfully rubbed against the zipper of his pants. Soo gave him a final kiss before sitting beside him with a smile. "Now, play."

Her hands stretched over the keys and So continued to stare in disbelief. "You give me a hard-on and then expect me to play the piano?" he asked. He laughed with her and Soo nodded her head.

"Your reward for playing is me. If you don't play, then…" Her right hand dipped to his thigh and So released a shuddering sigh when she rubbed his erection through his pants. "I'll let you jack off in peace."

"You're cruel, woman."

"You love me."

"I do."

So positioned his hand where Soo directed him and winced when she continued to rub his groin. Her hand sent spasms of torturous, half-hearted pleasure up his spine as she stroked out a rhythm for him to follow. "One, two, three, four," she counted, her palm rising and falling with her voice.

So worked on muscle memory, unable to discern some of the notes Soo had pointed out to him. His painfully acquired skill set as a hitman flew out the window as a beautiful distraction rendered him almost useless.

So played the simple melody as she massaged him with one hand. Soo's other hand flew over the other side of the piano, her years of expertise creating a background melody that accompanied the static notes that So's novice hand pounded out.

When their little duet ended, So was panting from a combination of lack of contact and overstimulation. His shoulders heaved and his face flushed as Soo finally undid his belt and unbuttoned his pants.

"You asked me what my favorite piece is?" she murmured, kissing his throat. So wrapped an arm around Soo's waist and pulled her closer, slowly feeling himself slip toward more primal urges. "My favorite piece is anything played by the people I love."

They kissed and So chuckled against Soo's lips when she sat on top of the keys, creating a clamor that echoed before quieting. She guided his hand to her chest, placing his palm between her breasts and letting him touch her. "No bra," he remarked, pulling the bench closer. He stood and kissed Soo harder, closing his eyes and tasting her lips. His face would be covered in lipstick by the time this was over.

Soo pulled his hand to her hips and So scoffed when he felt nothing beneath her dress. "And no panties," he drawled. "What do we make of that?"

"You told me I need a little more risk in my life, so this is me jumping into your game of risk." Her nonchalant reply was met with a laugh and a deep kiss.

"I love you so much," he said, pulling back. So ran his tongue over Soo's bottom lip and kissed down her throat, bracing himself with one hand against the piano as the other squeezed Soo's breasts. Lowering himself, So kissed Soo's collarbone. He pressed a hand to her stomach as he nuzzled against her body, tilting his face against the soft material of her dress. It was knit cashmere- easy to cuddle against, hard to kiss.

For a split second, So's mind strayed, and he kissed her belly, remaining for a moment too long at a place that would never belong to him. Her hands pushed through his hair and her legs opened as he ventured lower.

So started at her knees. Sitting back onto the bench, he buried his face into her navel as his hands trailed up the stockings that covered her legs. "I've never had sex on a piano before," Soo remarked, giggling as his fingertips tapped against the tops of her soft thighs. So gently headbutted his lover and looked up at her as he flipped her skirt up and used it to cover his head.

"A first for both of us, then," So replied. He kissed her stomach again, dragging his teeth over the garter that held up thigh-high stockings. There was nothing to remove or tear; Hae Soo was completely his.

He kissed her where she wanted, letting his tongue lightly flick between the lips of her sex. Muffled moans reached his cashmere-covered ears and So removed himself from beneath the stifling dress to sit up and capture her lips again. He held her bottom up and squeezed as he raised her dress until it bunched at her waist and he had a clear view of her garter.

"I love you, Hae Soo," he remarked, running his hand against her exposed lower half. Soo laughed and So kissed her cheek, listening to the most wonderful sounds escape her lips. Laughter and breathy moans combined into a symphony that drove So mad with adoration.

"Bet you don't love me as much as I love you," she declared, her arms wrapping around him. So kissed his girlfriend's throat and grunted when her fingertips entered his underwear and stroked him.

"The last time we gambled, you lost," So said, chuckling at the memory. A tremor of pent need and lust coursed through his veins as Soo's ankles locked behind him, pulling him flush against her hips with the jarring smash of a new set of piano keys. "I'll take my chances."

Their conversation almost forgotten, So hungrily captured Soo's lips, lifting her dress more to grasp her breasts and laugh when Soo rammed her heel into his back.

"Hands back down," she whined, rubbing herself against his erection. A moan left his lips and So obeyed with an amused snort. He tapped his middle finger against her slit and leaned down to kiss her nipples. "Touch me, please."

"I'm older than you, Hae Soo. Kick me like that again and I may not be able to carry you anymore," he warned, peeking up at the beauty that blushed and moaned when he circled his finger around her peak.

"Ew, I'm in love with an old man," Soo whispered, her head tipping backwards.

Laughing, So groaned and sat down onto the bench again. "Fucking hell, I'm not _that_ old! Thirty-seven isn't even middle-aged!" He smiled up at her, continuing to touch her the way he knew she liked, and watched her mouth part into an unrestrained moan. Soo barely had time to giggle at his remark before he lowered himself to center his lips between her legs and let their conversation move to a steamier topic.

"Foul-mouthed and can't- can't- oh!- take a joke," Soo said, gasping and writhing. So smirked when her leg draped over his back and pulled him closer.

Soo's moans echoed throughout the room, her hand falling onto the instrument below as So's mouth worked at her entrance. Her other hand curled through his hair as he looked up at her flushed form. He felt her nails drag over his scalp as his tongue darted forward to penetrate her.

So flicked his tongue over her clit, slipping his middle finger into her and relishing in her gasps and sighs. He smirked against her sex when her toes curled. "There, there, there." Soo's voice rose as she cried out.

A fresh wave of honey flowed from her as she came against So's mouth, and he lapped each drop until she was quivering against the piano, her movements causing the instrument to sing.

Watching as Soo shivered through the last of her orgasm, So wiped his mouth against the back of his hand before capturing her lips, forcing his tongue into her mouth and swallowing the mewls that Soo emitted, her arms twining around him.

So shoved his underwear down and stroked himself as Soo's tongue met his. In one swift buck, he sheathed himself within the hot juncture that beckoned him. They moaned together and Soo's legs went around him, pulling him in closer, deeper.

He ground his hips, rutting against her. "Soo," he uttered, kissing her throat as her head tipped back.

Their bodies connected as the piano rocked with their movements, releasing clanging sounds that only made So want to fuck harder. He kissed her moans into his own mouth, tasting her pleasure and deriving his own from watching her eyes close and her mouth open.

"So!" she called, her hands reaching for purchase against his back.

It was while he was completely entrenched in ardor that So lost control of his mouth. "Are you really not going to have another baby?" he asked between thrusts. Soo's eyes sprang open and their foreheads touched. She gave an incoherent response and So knew she would not be able to think properly. Even he found his questions muddling in his mind from the sheer intensity he felt being joined with Soo.

"What? Ah! There! What are you-"

So kissed Soo's cheek and pressed his fingertips to her clit, rubbing between her legs. "Why not have one with me? Have my… have my baby, Hae Soo." He spoke while continuing to pleasure Soo, listening to her cries. He had no idea how she would react. He had not thought about the consequences of his words and just spoke, wanting Soo to know how he felt. "Yours and mine—the product of our love," he whispered in her ear, sucking on her lobe. "Imagine how beautiful it would be."

"Don't be foolish," Soo replied. She flinched when So pulled back from her face and leaned down to worship her collar and breasts, dragging his teeth over her sensitive nipples and gently nibbling on them through her dress. "If I had a baby... it would take Wook's last na-mmph!" So felt his anger flare and he silenced Soo with a kiss, smothering her words.

"Don't say his name when you're with me," he growled against her mouth. So narrowed his eyes at Soo and watched her grow apologetic. "Not when you have my dick inside you, not while you're calling my name. Don't say his name."

Soo cupped his cheek and So leaned into her palm, slowing his pace to gaze at his love. His expression softened and he nudged his forehead against hers. "We... can't have a baby, So," she said between pants as So pushed into her. "I'm not having a baby."

Meeting eyes with the woman that held his heart in her hands, So stole needy, hurried kisses from her lips until she tapped his chest for air. It was worth an attempt, but he knew the answer would always be 'no'. Though she had denied him, So did not feel his love for Soo diminish in any way. He took what was offered and made love to his woman.

"Let me stand," Soo said. "My back hurts—I want to change positions."

"Turn around." He stepped back and kissed Soo as she hopped off the piano and turned around, bending over the keys and resting her hands against the music stand.

Kissing Soo's back, So reached around to grasp her breasts as he entered her again.

* * *

 **Thank you so much to Krysyuy~~ She's an amazing beta and writer, so go check out her stuff 3**


	36. Eyes

**Kim Chae Ryung**

Three bottles of vintage red, two bottles of champagne worth her yearly salary, and an aged whiskey that could be traded for a sedan. The reds were for Soo to miss her husband on, the champagne were gifts to family whose weddings Soo refused to attend, and the whiskey would be added to the drink stand in the living room for Wook to consume while watching baseball.

Checking each bottle, Chae Ryung referenced the prices on her phone and nodded her approval at the new shipment. The prices matched up, the bottles were in good condition, and she smiled when the man—sent from the company Soo ordered from—generously tossed in juice boxes for the girls. "Straight from France. We know Mrs. Hae likes the organic ones for her children."

The lid fell shut on the crate, Chae Ryung passed Soo's card over, and an exorbitant amount left the bank account for a box of alcohol. A glance at the many zeros on the receipt informed Chae Ryung that the numbers were, again, correct.

In the early weeks of her job, Chae Ryung remembered ogling the receipts she watched Soo's accountant sift through. The number of zeros and the large sums of money Soo and Wook poured into mundane things like chairs and tables used to make her head swim. But now, Chae Ryung was accustomed to it all. She stared at receipts for millions of won without so much as a blink, organizing them and setting them aside for the accountant to file and deal with.

 _Just a few years, girl,_ she thought to herself. She estimated it would take five years for her to find, seduce, and marry the man that would fund her political career. _The maid at the Lees says Jung's cousin is your age and he comes by for the holidays. He could be the one… or the Kims a block down, their son is a year younger than you. He could be your key._

Chae Ryung slammed the trunk of the car and thanked the courier. She had no idea what his job description was, but 'supervising wines around the world at the whims of rich people' seemed almost equivalent to hers. But instead of wine, Chae Ryung cared for two little girls.

She drove with the radio on, humming and tapping her hands against the leather steering wheel. There were glances from other cars and Chae Ryung basked in them. Let them stare at the Equus that thrummed with the bass from her music. The windows were so tinted she doubted a person with their nose against the glass would be able to discern the contents of the vehicle.

Because the company had sent a familiar courier, the entire process of getting the crate from customs and having it moved to her car took much less time than usual, adding nearly an hour to her schedule. She planned to use that time wisely once the crate was securely unpacked. If she played her cards right, she would be able to steal away for an hour-long bath with an episode of the show she was currently watching.

By her schedule, Yoon was home unless she had decided to go to her friend's house after pre-school. Mi, whose schedule changed daily, was at piano class.

The house would hopefully be empty aside from Mrs. Hae. Soo would be feverishly working in her office or practicing piano with the doors closed. Chae Ryung remembered a time when Soo woke every morning and took two hours to herself, playing piece after piece on the piano. While Soo played virtuoso, Chae Ryung played with Mi and listened to beautiful concertos unfurl at Soo's fingertips.

Chae Ryung drove past the security building where Wang So worked. She hoped he was nowhere near the house because the last thing she wanted was for him to be lurking around, encroaching on her "me-time".

Wang So. She hated him.

At first, she had thought he was just quiet. She was used to silent coworkers, so that did not bother her. Bodyguards were usually the less talkative types.

In the beginning, she could even admit to liking the quiet, older man whose lean and muscular body was only too nice to look at. Wang So woke at five every morning to work out. When he returned to the house, the slowly rising staff were treated to the sight of him in skintight compression gear, sweating even though he had exercised in the snow. Chae Ryung knew the maids also found Wang So easy on the eyes. She could admit to admiring his body on occasion.

But there was something off about him that irked her. He was too aloof in everything that did not pertain to Soo or the girls. While Chae Ryung was glad he took the most important part of his job seriously, she detested his heinous lack of respect for the majority of the handbook she had meticulously crafted.

Dress code went in one ear and exited the other. He no longer wore a tie; his once white button-downs were replaced with black button-ups, sweaters, and even t-shirts. He replaced his oxfords with black running shoes on account of how uncomfortable oxfords were and, if she remembered his words, "How am I supposed to run towards the danger if I'm in dress shoes? Sneakers are more prudent, Miss Chae Ryung."

Chae Ryung strangled the steering wheel in her hands as she remembered snapping that the bodyguard was supposed to protect the family – not run towards the danger and try to be a hero.

 _Wang So…_ Chae Ryung thought about how she had passed by Wang So sitting on Mi's carpet as the little girl showed him pictures of her favorite types of cats on her tablet. If Chae Ryung had not been in a rush to get to Yoon's bedroom, she would have snatched the tablet away before Wang So pointed to a kitten with a pink collar and said it looked like Mi. That had led to two full days of Mi babbling about how if she were an animal, she would be the "prettiest, fluffiest, blue-gray kitten with a sparkly pink collar." Later, she even added, "And Mr. So would be a stripey cat with a pink collar since I like pink and Mr. So is nice so he gets pink too!"

 _Mr. So isn't nice,_ Chae Ryung thought as she turned the car into the driveway and waited for the gate to open. _He's an asshole that doesn't care about anything other than himself. He barely completes the minimum requirement for the job, yet your mother keeps him around for reasons unknown._

Parking behind Soo's car, Chae Ryung grumbled to herself and decided to task Wang So with removing the wines from the trunk once he arrived from his exile in the security building. The drinks would survive an extra hour in the back of a luxury vehicle while Chae Ryung soaked in the tub and opened a bottle of merlot Soo had given her to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

The trek to the back door was an easy one and Chae Ryung wondered if Yoon was home. She hoped the little girl was playing at her friend's house or taking a nap in her bedroom. Chae Ryung was too excited for her hour alone that she hoped the spritely little girl was away for just a little bit longer.

Punching in the codes for the back door, Chae Ryung quietly entered the desolate house and smiled to herself. She set her shoes aside and collected a random pair of slippers to carry her to the servants' lounge.

Merlot, some of the French chocolates Wook brought for the staff… a nice, hot bath… the thought alone was enough to make her salivate.

Chae Ryung shuffled for the lounge until a jarring clang sent chills down her spine. The sound rang out around the first floor, rattling the young woman that crept towards her room.

Freezing, she listened to another ram of piano keys and sighed, resignation filling her veins in a shot of reality check.

"We're not allowed to bang on the piano, Hwang Bo Yoon," she said with a growl, bidding her bath farewell.

Marching for the piano room, Chae Ryung put on her scolding face and prepared to reprimand the three-year-old whose dislike for rules seemed to rub off on Wang So.

The clanging occurred in strange intervals and Chae Ryung heaved a sigh as she walked past paintings, family photos, and a few little scribbles on the walls – courtesy of Yoon.

A twinge of curiosity pulled at Chae Ryung's mind and she frowned when she caught sight of the almost completely closed doors that led into the piano room. There was no way Yoon's little arms could drag the sliding doors in place with her height or strength.

 _A burglar? No, there's no way – there are cameras everywhere and an entire security team is dedicated to protecting this house. Is it a staff member?_

Another clang of horrendous piano keys and Chae Ryung's face contorted into a glare.

A female voice said something unintelligible and then, Chae Ryung heard Wang So's voice. "Turn around."

Closer and closer, she felt her feet act on their own as she approached the piano room. Her mind raced as she eagerly sought to catch Wang So in whatever rule-breaking idiocy that would most definitely get him fired.

Sneaking her presence into the crevice between the doors, Chae Ryung rested her hands against the smooth, bamboo frame, ready to burst in and catch Wang So in—

She gasped.

Peeking into the piano room, Chae Ryung eyed the two jackets tossed onto the floor before slapping a hand over her mouth to prevent herself from being heard by the two people within. She stood perfectly still, staring into the piano room and taking in the worst scene she had ever seen.

Before her very eyes, Wang So stood with his pants dropped to his ankles, showing places Chae Ryung wished to erase from her memory. His mouth opened in a grunt as he fucked Soo from behind, groping her until her hands lost their grip on the ivory piano keys.

Soo stood, bent over the instrument with her legs spread and her dress bunched around her waist. A garter and stockings were her only underclothes and her hair draped over her eyes, messy and unkempt. Soo's voice was louder than So's, and she gasped and moaned with each thrust.

 _He's raping her,_ Chae Ryung immediately thought. _This can't be consensual, he's raping her._

She prepared to slam the doors open and call the police, but her hand stilled and her shock doubled when Soo pressed on the piano to lift herself and lean back against Wang So. Two pairs of lips already smudged with muted pink rouge came together as tongues met.

Soo tucked her messy hair away from her eyes and moaned against the guard's mouth, holding the back of his neck and pulling him in for a long kiss. Chae Ryung could not pull her eyes away from the scene before her.

Her hands shook, but she could not tear herself away, not when the man she hated muttered that he was close and the woman she admired pushed away from him to turn and kiss him again. Soo took So's length in hand and stroked him as they kissed. Then, she slowly fell to her knees.

Chae Ryung stared at the woman she had aspired to be. Hae Soo was supposed to be the perfect human. She was soft and caring, a perfect mother and wife. She had sex with her husband on a schedule and sang to her children when they cried. She was a kind but strict mother who did not deviate from the norm… and Chae Ryung watched as Hae Soo, the rich, rule-abiding wife of Hwang Bo Wook, began to blow her bodyguard.

 _She's cheating. She's been cheating. She protected Wang So because she's cheating with him._

Long fingers weaved through Soo's hair as she filled her mouth with Wang So's member. Chae Ryung kept her hand firmly pressed to her parted lips, silent as her hero sullied her marriage vows and giggled when Wang So moaned. "You like that," she teased, her voice a surprising addition to the otherwise wordless production. "I'll have to remember that trick."

"Ah, stop being so cute," Wang So groaned back.

"You love me."

" _You_ love me."

Their banter was nauseating.

Chae Ryung did not remember escaping, but as Wang So's grunts grew more erratic, she fled as if her life depended on it.

Collapsing onto her bed in the servants' lounge, Chae Ryung pulled her knees to her chest as she fought to forget the scene she had just witnessed. Hae Soo, her hero...

Some time passed and Chae Ryung heard a jovial whistle in the lounge. Wang So's footsteps were always silent, but his whistle let her know where he was. He knocked on the door of the bathroom with the shower before entering when no one responded.

 _How can he be so nonchalant,_ she angrily thought. Her hands bunched into the soft comforter that covered her bed as she shook her head to clear her thoughts. _No, you have information. This is valuable intel. Pull yourself together. You can act as if nothing happened._

 _You can use this._


	37. Abeoji

**There's a typhoon outside my window and I just want it to stop so I can sleep. Is that too much to ask for. Ughhhhhhh.**  
 **Anyways, thank you everyone for waiting! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **-PB**

* * *

 **Hae Soo**

She sat before her shrines and beamed as she watched the setting sun cast radiant rays of magenta, indigo, orange, and violet into the sky. Mi and Yoon's favorite colors splashed over the heavens like watercolors on canvas and Soo sighed in content.

"Spring is coming soon, darling," she said, dusting her baby's shrine off. "And that means Yoonie and Mi will be begging to go to Kim Ah Rong's house so they can play in her pool. Our house has a little pond but Daddy and Mommy don't let the girls play in the pond because they'll disturb the fishies."

Soo's smile deepened as she heard the back door open and shut, the light slam making her heart flutter. So always came to stand beside her when she talked to Lily Flower, and it had become one of their little moments together. He would listen to her speak to her son, and then he would quietly lead her back inside.

Soo never felt lonely when So was with her.

A pair of footsteps approached and she asked Lily if he was ready for spring. "There will be flowers everywhere. They always grow right here, don't they? Your sisters love making bouquets and giving them to me."

Touching the shrine, Soo expected Wang So's hand to lightly brush against her shoulders as he moved to take his place behind her. However, the contact she expected did not arrive, and a familiar voice surprised her.

"I wish you were here to see the flowers, son."

Her eyebrows flew upwards and Soo turned to face Wook as he stood before her, a coat over his sweatshirt, and his messy hair flying around in the wind. His casual demeanor brought back memories of when they were first dating and Soo stared as her atheist husband knelt before the shrines, pressed his palms together, and closed his eyes to pray.

"Wook," she heard herself whisper.

"Bring happiness and love into our family," Wook murmured. "Let our girls grow stronger every year, and help my wife and I find love and joy in each other again."

His eyes opened and Soo smiled when he turned to look at her. Any thought of Wang So faded in her mind as Wook placed an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. She moved without complaint, realizing that after five years, Wook had finally arrived to meet their son.

A rush of emotion overcame her as Wook cleared his throat and pressed his hand to her side, his warm palm smoothing against her jacket. "Lily Flower," Wook murmured to the shrine. "Daddy's here. It's been too long, hasn't it? I'm sorry it took so long for me to come speak to you."

Soo gasped in relief as her husband spoke to their lost baby. Weight fell away from her shoulders and she felt tears running down her cheeks. Wook chuckled, holding her hand. He squeezed her knuckles and Soo felt her husband shift to look at the shrine. "Lily Flower, I'm sure you remember Mommy's voice because you were inside her and she comes to see you so often, but I'd like to introduce myself to you.

"My name is Hwang Bo Wook, and I'm your daddy." Wook tipped his head and smiled at the stones before him, using his other hand to touch the small tower. "It's nice to meet you, son. I'm sorry it took me so long. Your daddy is… I was too weak to come see you."

Soo wiped her eyes and sniffed as she listened to Wook converse with their son. Pressing one hand to her chest, Soo beamed through her tears and nodded when Wook glanced her way.

"You would not believe how much more beautiful your mommy is now." His hand cupped her cheek and his thumb wiped her tears. "She's still a crybaby when it comes to you kids, but she's still so beautiful."

"Wook, stop." Soo laughed and gently shoved him.

"Why?" he asked. "I'm telling my son about his mother. He deserves to know from my point of view, doesn't he?" Wook addressed their boy with a smile. "You have another sister, Lily Flower. Her name is Hwang Bo Yoon and when she was in Mommy's belly, we called her 'Little Dinosaur'. Funny how we still call her that even though she's out and running around. Mommy refuses to call her by her name, so Daddy has to remind her that Little Dinosaur's name is Yoon. Silly Mommy."

Gasping with relieved laughs, Soo leaned her head against Wook's shoulder and listened, her senses clouding in happiness. She felt as if an old friend had arrived. Wook and Lily Flower's introductions were long overdue, but they were finally happening. "You must already know everything I'm telling you… Mommy told you everything for me, didn't she? But just for this moment, son, listen to your father, won't you?

"Lily Flower, your little sister is like a tornado of destruction and your older sister is also a tornado, except Mi knows she's not allowed to color on the walls. You would not believe how much those two fight." Wook laughed and Soo found herself laughing with him. "Yesterday, Mi had to be put in time-out because she kicked Yoon. And then Yoon had to be put in time-out because she pulled Mi's hair. Do you know how many times Daddy has to tell your sisters not to pull each other's hair?"

"They never listen," Soo whispered, shaking her head. Wook huffed and pulled her closer. Soo pressed a hand to her husband's chest to keep him from dragging her too close, but she let him hold her hip as he continued to speak to their baby.

"I imagine if you were here, you'd kick and bite and fight and pull hair as well. Daddy would probably have to put you in time-out right next to your sisters. Your sisters don't know much about you… darling. But Mi knows that Mommy once had you in her belly but you decided you preferred heaven and went away. She really wants a baby brother."

Wook spoke to their child as the sun set, and when they stepped back into the house, Soo held his hand and smiled at him, genuinely proud that he had finally come with her. Her fears that Wook hated their son dissipated, and she felt a warmth in her chest knowing he cared for their dead baby.

She did not love him the way she used to, but Hwang Bo Wook was the father of her children and the man that had made her happy in the early parts of their marriage. He was an addition to her life that would forever remain as something close to an old friend.

And it was with that acceptance that she realized that it was time to move on. It pained her to part with someone she had known for over half a decade and had children with, but now that Wook had come to see Lily, Soo knew she could leave him and expect him to pick up the pieces alongside her.

She could be with So.

It was time to let go.

* * *

 **Wang So**

His coat was halfway up his body before he noticed Wook jogging by, a jacket hastily thrown over his hoodie.

The back door slammed, and So stood in mute surprise before walking to a window to watch Wook beat him to the shrines where Soo prayed. He remembered Soo telling him Wook had never gone with her to her shrines and that he actively avoided any talk of Lily Flower, the baby she had lost before she had Mi.

The politician wrapped an arm around Soo, and So glared. He wanted to be furious. He wanted to hate Wook for touching Soo after all he had done to her, but when her expression lit up at his presence, So backed down, his pride injured.

He could be her man. He could be everything for her, but he could never be the father of her unborn child. That was Wook's and only Wook's.

Watching as Soo laughed in the arms of her husband, So felt small. His girlfriend was where she was meant to be – with her husband – yet So only wanted her to be with him, to find comfort in him.

"Mis-ter So?"

So turned at the sound of Yoon's voice and walked to where the little girl hid behind a corner.

He knelt in front of Yoon, who had obviously woken after being put to bed. Her hair was rumpled, her bumblebee pajamas untucked, and a doll discarded three meters away from where she stood rubbing her eyes.

"Yoonie, why are you awake?" So asked. He looked at her bare feet and opened his arms to her, picking her tiny body up so she would not be near the cold ground.

She weighed nothing in his arms, but Yoon smiled and hugged his neck, burying her face into his shoulder. "Yoonie needs water," she mumbled behind a yawn. "Water please."

Chuckling, So buried thoughts of Soo and Wook, and instead focused on their daughter. He pushed Yoon's hair away from her wide eyes, and he saw Hae Soo in her adorable face. Tiny Hae Soo remained silent and sleepy as he took her to the kitchen, where the cook had already turned the lights off before leaving.

So switched two lights on and walked to the white water purifier, reaching above it to grab a sippy cup and lid.

"Mister So, no," Yoon whined, squirming against him and patting his chest with her hand. So glanced at her as she reached for the purifier. "Pink cup! No yellow!"

"They're the exact same aside from the color," he protested, gesturing to the two cups.

"Yellow, no! Pink, yes!"

Rolling his eyes, So traded the yellow cup for a pink one and held it up to Yoon for approval. When the little girl nodded her head, he smirked and tossed the yellow one back onto the purifier.

He filled her cup with warm water and screwed its lid on, also grabbing a mug of iced water for himself. Holding Yoon in his arm, he watched her grip the handles of her cup and suck from the lid. So downed his cold water and set the mug in the sink as Yoon continued to hold onto her water.

When Yoon handed her cup back to him, So emptied its contents into the sink before hoisting her higher on his hip. "Shall we get you to bed, Miss Dinosaur?"

Yoon laid her head onto his shoulder and So took that as his cue.

When he passed by the back of the house, he saw Wook still holding onto Soo. She was smiling, so So made himself be happy for her. She deserved happiness – even if it did not come from him.

So crept up the stairs to the second floor. The stairs creaked but they were silent beneath his feet. Anywhere he went, So instinctively sought out the most quiet pathway. He did not have to think twice about placing his feet on different parts of the staircase, making Yoon giggle at his strange movements.

When So opened the door to Yoon's bedroom, he gazed around at where nightlights cast soothing images of swimming fish on her walls and stars on her ceiling.

When he set her down onto her bed, she popped onto her feet and jumped off the mattress, grasping his fingertips with her fist and dragging him along. So wished he could turn in, but his girlfriend's insistent child took his attention. "Yoon, I can't pla—oh."

So shook his head when the little girl led him to her bathroom. "Havta potty," she declared, standing on the tips of her toes to reach the doorknob.

The door slipped open and So turned the light on to reveal the bathroom he had not set foot in since his first tour of the house. Like the rest of the Hwang Bo home, it was opulent. Glass encased the shower while the bathtub beside it was made of stone.

However, this bathroom was—like its owner—unique… and young. The shower floor was decorated with stickers to prevent slipping. Ducklings in rain boots danced around the shower while prancing unicorns decorated the bathtub. There were toys piled in the tub for when the little dinosaur felt like drowning plastic animals while her parents washed her hair, and the towels were all white with green polka dots.

He glanced around as Yoon directed him to sit directly across from the toilet with the bright purple child's seat attached to it.

"You want me to stay?" he asked tiredly, doing as the little girl commanded. He knew Yoon kept her parents or Chae Ryung hostage when she needed to use the bathroom, but this was a first for him.

He rubbed his eyes and waited for Yoon to sit on the toilet and finish her business. All the while, she swung her legs back and forth, laughing when she managed to kick her pants and undies off.

"I like Mr. So's pants," she said.

So glanced at the little girl and then down at his sweatpants. He frowned before peering at Yoon's yellow and black striped pajamas that lay discarded on the bathroom's fuzzy, purple bath mat.

"Mister So likes Yoon's pants too," he replied.

"But mine are prettier."

"Yes, they are."

Once Yoon finished, So wiped her off and helped her into her underwear and pants before standing beside her as she climbed up the step stool in front of her sink.

She turned the water on and So held his palms out as she squirted soap onto them, using her hands to create a mess of bubbles. "Scrub, scrub," she sang. "Bubbles, bubbles!"

So thought about Soo as her daughter's tiny hands used his as a canvas to create bubble art, shaping mounds of froth and calling them snowflakes. Spending time with Yoon made him wish he was Soo's husband—that her children were his children.

"Scrub, scrub, bubbles, bubbles!"

Yoon was a handful and caring for her was tiring, but So felt happy when he was with the little girl. She made him laugh with her silly antics and strange remarks, and whenever she smiled and hugged his legs, that was reward enough for their time spent together.

When their hands were sufficiently covered in froth, So used his elbow to turn the water back on and encased Yoon's hands with his to make sure she thoroughly rinsed them off.

Cool water slid off of their palms, and So counted each of Yoon's fingers as the bubbles disappeared. "Finger one, finger two, finger three, finger four, and?" He turned to Yoon and held her thumb up.

"Six!" she proudly declared. "Finger six!"

He laughed too hard at her certainty before shaking his head. "Five," he gently corrected, shutting the water off. He picked Yoon up and carried her, dripping hands and all, to the towel that hung on the wall.

After wiping their hands, it was finally time to sleep, and Yoon went easily. So laid her onto her bed and smiled when she pulled at his neck for another hug.

What he did not expect was the wet kiss she left on his cheek. So looked down at the toddler that sucked her thumb and gently removed the finger from her mouth as he tucked her into her blankets. "Now kiss Yoonie," she ordered, stabbing a finger into her large cheek.

"Do you really want Mr. So to kiss you?" he asked, wondering how this little girl had managed to wrap him around her littlest finger. He did not know when he had begun eagerly doing Yoon's bidding, but it seemed as though he was hers to play with.

"Night night… kisses," Yoon said, pausing only to yawn.

Smiling, So patted Yoon's head and brushed her bangs back to reveal her forehead. He did not know if Soo would want him being too close to Yoon or if he would even be able to evade Wook if Yoon continued to trail after him.

So, he pressed his fingertips to his lips and lightly touched Yoon's forehead with the same hand. "There," he whispered.

He left the door slightly open as he departed, his heart fluttering with happiness. He wanted to tell Soo about his strange night. He wanted to tell her about how her daughter had clung to him like gum.

But when he heard soft music playing from the record player in the living room, his gait grew heavier, and his smile fell away. "I'm sorry I haven't been a good husband these past few months," he heard Wook say.

So sucked in a breath and waited for Soo's response. Alone in a hallway, eavesdropping on two people's conversation, So wondered if he had reached a new, different sort of low.

"Wook," Soo said. So listened intently, wondering what his girlfriend would say. "We're not the same people we were when we married. We've both done things that aren't…" she trailed off before heaving a sigh. "A lot of things have changed. I think… I think we just need to move forward with our lives."

He wondered if he had imagined Soo saying 'lives'. He knew she loved her husband. Wook fathered her children and married her before she and So could even meet. So knew of Soo's affection for Wook only because it pertained to their children.

So found solace in knowing that though Soo was not legally his wife or family, he had her heart, and that was enough. If there was one person he trusted in the world not to hurt him, it was Hae Soo.

So crept along the walls to peek into the sitting room. His eyebrows rose when he spotted Wook pressing a kiss to Soo's forehead while staring at his phone. "Ah, I'm sorry, Soo, I have to go to the office… something's happened in the Middle East."

"Go, I'll be in bed when you come back."

"Goodnight, my dear."

So stood back and hid in the shadows as Wook rushed past him and towards the master bedroom, removing his hoodie as he went.

It was a long wait until Wook's bodyguard was roused and the two left for the Blue House. After that, the house fell silent, the record player in the living room fading into the quiet night.

So stepped in as Soo settled herself on the sofa and reached for the TV remote. The living room was centered in the massive house and far enough away from the servants' lounge that if anyone wanted to find Soo, So would hear their footsteps before they had the chance to arrive.

He settled beside her on the sofa and tipped his head back onto the smooth cushions as Soo turned an action movie on. So had seen it before, but he smiled and kept quiet as Soo clasped his hand and leaned herself against him. She did not speak, but she pressed his hand to her lips and set it down onto her thigh.

"I put Yoon to bed while you were outside," So said as the opening credits appeared. He let his thumb skim over her pants and turned to look at Soo as she chuckled.

"Did she come out for a drink?" Soo mumbled. She smiled as So nodded his head.

"We had water together and then she used the bathroom. She sang her hand-washing song for me."

So smirked when Soo shook her head and laughed. "Did you give her a goodnight kiss as well?" she asked. Soo hugged his arm and So paused for a moment.

"I did this."

He pressed his lips to his fingers and mimicked the kiss he had given Yoon. He touched Soo's forehead and watched her smile. She did not speak, but when she pulled him closer, So nuzzled against his girlfriend and accepted the kiss she gave him.

"I love you, Wang So," she murmured against his lips. So chuckled and returned the sentiment.

In the quiet evening, when the lights were dimmed and demons fought robots onscreen, the scene was perfect for a small date night. So watched the movie until Soo moved away. He kept his eyes on her as she leaned to the other side of the couch and pulled a throw off of the armrest.

His partner threw the blanket over their thighs and yawned, cuddling closer. So smirked when Soo nudged herself under his arm and held his shirt as she made herself comfortable. So moved the way his girlfriend wanted him to until she was on top of him, her head against his chest. She was warm, and her weight was comfortable against him.

As they watched their movie, So's thoughts drifted, and he pressed light kisses to Soo's forehead and cheeks as she continued to watch.

"You're being a very annoying movie partner," Soo said as she turned to meet his lips with hers. So snorted and let himself kiss her harder.

"Let me take you on an actual date sometime," he murmured, ignoring the movie to hug his partner and dot kisses against her shoulders. "I want to go out with you… I don't want our love to just be trapped in place."

He looked up at Soo as she smiled and nodded. So grinned when Soo's lips mashed against his cheek, her kiss lasting six seconds. "I would love to go out on a date with you," she said immediately after.

So's spirits soared and he chuckled as he played with Soo's short hair, feeling the silky locks that were treated by an aesthetician every other week. Using a finger, he tapped his lips and raised his eyebrows at Soo.

"I want a better kiss."

So smirked when Soo fulfilled his wish, her hands holding either side of his face and her lips pressing against his.

* * *

 **As always, Krysyuy is my savior and is the bestest editor in the worldest.**


	38. Guesses

**Thank you so much to the amazing KRYSUY. You're amazing and wonderful and amazing.  
** **And thank you all for reading!**

* * *

 **Hwang Bo Wook**

"Bubberfly bubterfly, fly to um… fly to me! Yellow butterfly, white bubberfly, dance and dance and – and, um…"

"And come to me," Wook sang softly, finishing Yoon's song. He clicked on his mouse and exhaled loudly as a new page opened on his screen.

Aside from the staff and the father-daughter pair, the house lacked its usual family. Soo had decided it was time she and Mi got haircuts, so she had picked Mi up after school ended to treat them both to two hours of 'Mommy and Mi time'.

Left alone with Yoon, Wook had first chased her around the house, playing hide-and-seek until he grew too tired to keep up with his tiny tornado of a child. Yoon had already almost knocked Soo's favorite painting from a wall, so Wook had ended their game before he could pull his back or before Yoon could destroy millions in paintings.

So, they retreated from invisible monsters and set up shop in his office. Supplied with high-speed wifi, juice boxes, Mr. Dinosaur, and snacks, both father and daughter were content to wait for Mommy and Mi to come and chase the monsters away.

While Wook looked things up on his computer, Yoon sat on his lap and colored on his legal pads, before jumping down to run to the small fridge in the corner of the room and grab one of the snacks Wook kept for his girls when they played in his office.

Leaning down to pick Yoon up when she returned, Wook pulled her back onto his lap and scooted his chair in so she could continue coloring. He accepted the juice box almost chucked at him and chuckled before poking the straw into the hole and setting it onto his desk beside Mr. Dinosaur, Yoon's plastic T-rex. "Careful not to spill, okay?"

"Thank you," Yoon said before leaning close to the straw to take a sip. Wook tipped his head forward and kissed his daughter's soft hair as she scribbled with his fountain pens. He made a note to send an e-mail to his assistant to order more pens; everyone in the house knew well of his daughter's affinity for breaking them.

Clicking on another site, Wook sighed and stared at techniques used for piercings, grimacing at the explanation given that stabbing a needle through one's ear was much safer than using a gun.

"Yoonie, do you think your sister would be happy if I let her get her ears pierced for her birthday?" he asked his youngest daughter. She leaned back against his chest and swung her legs, the balls of her tiny feet ramming into his shins. She drank her juice and stared at his screen.

"Ouchie," she replied.

"Why do little girls want pierced ears. I would have made her a soccer field in the backyard." He muttered to himself, already concocting ways to convince Mi that a backyard soccer field was a much better idea than getting one's ears pierced.

Sighing, he leaned forward and bumped his nose against the single bun Soo had pulled Yoon's hair into. Yoon kept singing, muddling words and forgetting phrases as she went along, but persevering, nonetheless, to the end of the song.

"Daddy," she said, presenting her work to him. Wook raised his eyebrows at the yellow legal pad covered in scribbles, discerning a pair of dot eyes and a wobbly mouth amid strange lines. "Cat."

He pressed a kiss to her soft forehead and agreed. "Beautiful. You'll be the next Picasso."

"Yoonie Pibabo."

"How about Hwang Bo Pablo?" Wook asked, chuckling as she scrunched her nose and stuck her tongue out. "Don't want to change your name to Pablo?"

Before Yoon could respond, Wook glanced upward at the sound of a knock on the door. He wondered if Soo had arrived home. "Yes?" he called.

The door opened and Chae Ryung stepped in, her expression apprehensive. Wook raised an eyebrow before smiling as Yoon popped up from his lap, declared, "Nanny!" and ran to hug Chae Ryung's legs.

His smile faded when Chae Ryung cleared her throat and asked if she could speak to him in private. She leaned down to gently pull Yoon from her legs and Wook agreed, calling out to his daughter.

"Hwang Bo Yoon, can you go see if Daddy's phone is downstairs?" he asked. "Also, Daddy wants the tablet on the big table. Can you grab it for me? I'll give you a prize if you bring them."

Unknowing of the fact that both tablet and phone were currently on his desk, Yoon eagerly nodded her head. She rushed over to him to grab her juice and her dinosaur before darting out of the office and slamming the door behind her.

Wook looked at Chae Ryung as she approached his desk. He gazed at her conflicted face and noticed the way her hands wrung her black skirt. The nanny was nervous, and Wook suddenly wondered if she was about to quit.

Sharing her jittery emotions, Wook realized that if Chae Ryung quit, the house would not function. With him and Soo both being busy with work, the girls' equally hectic schedules, and a staff that required managing, there was a reason he and Soo spared no expense when giving Chae Ryung presents during holidays. Dealing with an entire house's staff was hard enough, but two young children on top of that was just a hassle.

If she threatened to quit, Wook would immediately use the back-up plan he and Soo had concocted in the early years of Chae Ryung's tenure. She would receive one of Soo's Birkins for not quitting, a raise for her troubles, and first-class tickets for two to any location she wanted when the holidays came.

"How can I help you?" he asked, leaning in. Wook offered Chae Ryung a smile as she cleared her throat and took a breath before visibly steeling her nerves and lifting her chin to look at him. He took one look at her new expression and Wook's smile faded as he realized Chae Ryung did not come to him with the intention of quitting; she had something to give to him.

"I have information regarding Mrs. Hae that I think would be of great interest to you."

Resting his chin over his laced fingers, Wook narrowed his eyes at the nanny, whose confident voice vastly contrasted her previous demeanor. "Do you, now?"

She stood with an increased authority – as if she was the one in charge. Wook's anger flared at the slight smirk on her face. "I think it's in your best interest to know this, and because it would severely damage the relationship I have with Mrs. Hae, I'd like collateral of equal worth for this information."

 _Blackmail._ If Wook was not practiced in maintaining a straight face, he would have scoffed. Who did Kim Chae Ryung think she was, blackmailing one of the most powerful men in the country about his wife – one of the richest women in the country.

"What exactly do you want from me in exchange for this _vital_ information?" he asked, constantly scanning her for any sign of weakness. He would have preferred to keep the governess until Mi was at least in middle school or high school, but an act like this would not go unpunished. Wook raised his eyebrows and gently smiled, urging Chae Ryung to continue.

"I'd like you to connect me with your political party and allow me to work beneath you at the Blue House," Chae Ryung declared. Wook did not even blink at the young woman's overambitious demand. "If I reveal this information, Mrs. Hae will not trust me, and I may lose my job."

 _Should have just asked for one of Soo's Birkins._

"And why would I concede to your demands? Is your information so important that I need to free up a space at my campaign offices and insert you somewhere?"

Chae Ryung looked taken aback and Wook took her momentary weakness to run over the things she could know about Soo in his mind.

If Soo was sick, she would tell him. If she was in legal trouble, she would tell him. If she was in financial trouble, she would tell him. If she was going to divorce him, she would tell him. If anything was wrong with her, she would tell him. He knew because he would do the same for his wife.

Which left…

"Are you here to tell me my wife is cheating on me?" Wook asked. His voice never fell and never rose, remaining placid and soft. His job was to deal with liars and crooks. Blackmail was not something new to him and Wook knew when his opponent was a novice in the art of the lie. He eyed Chae Ryung as she blinked rapidly. Her body stiffened through her facade and Wook's mouth pressed into a fine line. _Gotcha._

Unmasked rage threatened to spill out from his body as he fought to control himself. Wook could not lose his temper in front of Chae Ryung, but even the idea of his wife's infidelity—however unbelievable it might be—made his hands tremble in anger.

A single look at the nanny that still sat before him helped Wook push his emotions down for the time being and maintain a calm face. Too used to working in a field where emotion meant defeat, he masked his disappointment in his wife in order to first deal with Chae Ryung. Soo might be cheating, but his employee had just tried to blackmail him, and there needed to be consequences. She needed to know never to proposition him again.

"Unfortunately, that's not new information. Perhaps you should get better bargaining chips before you come to me and try to place yourself between my wife and I.

"Soo and I will discuss your actions today. If you don't have any relevant information, you're dismissed. Return to work, Chae Ryung."

She tucked her tail between her legs as he spoke. Wook knew resounding defeat when he saw it, and he sighed as Chae Ryung slowly bowed to him, her eyes wide as she realized the gravity of her failure and tried to read his response. But Wook was too adept at keeping face for her to pierce through him.

The door shut behind her, and as soon as he was alone, Wook leaned back in his seat and heaved a sigh, disappointment clawing at his heart. He pulled the hat of his hoodie over his head and covered his eyes as his sigh turned into an elongated groan.

"Hwang Bo Wook, you hypocrite," he muttered to himself. "What, you're allowed to cheat, but your wife can't?"

His voice was still, but his heart ached and his eyes itched as he realized how Soo must have felt the day he knelt in front of her and confessed that he had cheated on her so many years ago.

Perhaps it was because he had broken up with Si Yeon, or because he had discovered a newfound love for his wife, but the idea of her sharing a bed with another man made him feel sick. His head hurt at the thought and his heart panged with sadness. And if Chae Ryung knew who it was, chances were, Soo had brought him to their home.

But what hurt more than the fact that his wife was cheating was that she was happy with her new man. Wook knew her change in demeanor, her clothing, and the happy smiles she continuously wore were never for him. He had lied to himself, believing his wife would forever stay loyal, but the walls were crumbling on the facade he had built to shelter his own affair. He had cheated, and so had Hae Soo.

He stood from his seat as his once bottled anger exploded when Chae Ryung's footsteps faded away. Wook made no sound as he grasped the metal pencil cup he kept by his monitor and hurled it into the door, leaving a visible dent in the dark wood. Pens and pencils scattered all over his office and the cup clattered to the floor, forever unusable.

But it was not enough. Nothing but anger remained, and Wook refused to concede that his infidelity had been the root cause of all this happening. This was not his fault; this was hers.

 _But is it, though?_

"Is this why you didn't want to have sex anymore, Hae Soo?" he asked into the air.

He forgave her.

The news of her cheating was a hot knife to the chest, but Wook was in no place to demand an apology or a divorce. He hated the thought of being away from Hae Soo.

He did not stop to think about who it might be. No matter how easy or hard it was to find her lover, Wook refused to do so. The mere thought of another man touching his wife and making her laugh and smile the way he could not was infuriating, but Wook would not concede defeat to the other man.

What he wanted the most at the moment was to move on. He would move on from Si Yeon, and he would try to fight to gain Soo's trust again. He acknowledged how terrible of a husband he was and sought to fix himself. He would let Soo cheat. Wook wondered if she had found out about Si Yeon, if this was her way of fighting back.

Wook resolved to win her back. She was his woman – not any other man's. She would forever only be his.

It would not be easy to repair the damaged relationship between him and Soo, but Wook had hope. He loved Hae Soo, and he hoped that deep down, she still loved him as well.

Kneeling onto the floor of his office, Wook began collecting the pens and pencils that lay around, some still rolling at the sudden assault.

* * *

When Wook walked downstairs, he put on a smile when he heard his wife telling Mi to find him and show him her new haircut. Yoon scampered past him to find her sister, and Wook followed in her wake.

But before he could even look at the children, he saw his wife.

Dressed in a light coat, she brushed something off of her new, wavy hair and tossed her handbag onto the sofa, removing her furs as she accepted Yoon's hug.

"Hello, beautiful," Wook murmured as he approached his wife. He wrapped an arm around Soo and leaned close to her, touching her new hairstyle as she smiled and greeted him.

"Wook, are you okay?" she asked, her voice dropping to avoid their children's ears. Wook had no idea how he looked, but when Soo touched his cheek, he offered her a confused look in place of the glare he wanted to give her. "Have you been crying?"

"My friend… his mother passed away yesterday," he muttered, remembering a text one of his elementary school friends had sent to him. It was not a lie, but it was also not the truth, and Wook nodded when Soo's expression grew sad.

"Was it Chang Ho? Geon Hee?" she asked. "His mother is in the hospital, isn't she? We sent her flowers."

Shaking his head, Wook gazed at his wife's lovely face. Her soft hand continued caressing his cheek with the gentlest of touches and he remembered too easily why he fell in love with the woman before him.

"It was a friend from elementary school – you wouldn't know him."

"Are you okay?"

He paused before he could lie and say he was alright. Instead, he sighed and wrapped his arms around Soo, holding his wife and wondering how – even after she had cheated and lied to him – she was still so familiar.

Her arms went around his waist and Wook inhaled the smell of hair products on her, hugging her as he thought about Chae Ryung's actions. "I need to speak to you in private," he murmured to her before pulling away.

After a round of examining Mi's newly shortened hair, and tossing Yoon onto the sofa, Wook walked with Soo into their bedroom.

He followed his wife into her closet as she took her jacket off and hung it. "We need to talk," he said quietly. Soo turned to face him and Wook looked down at his wife as she pulled a sweater over her shirt. "Chae Ryung came to my office today. She tried to blackmail me with information about you."

Unwittingly, his worst suspicions were confirmed. Hae Soo's body locked up and her already large eyes widened further as her pink lips parted in shock.

 _Too obvious, darling. There's no chance Chae Ryung is lying, is there?_

"What did she say?" Soo whispered, her voice dropping as if she expected Chae Ryung to be listening in on their conversation. Wook shook his head.

He knew that telling his wife of his knowledge would give her an excuse to ask for a divorce. Giving her that chance would all but murder his opportunities to win her back.

"I didn't hear anything," he said. "She said it was about you and that it would ruin her relationship with you if she told me, so she wanted a job at my campaign offices instead. Hae Soo, is there anything I should know?"

He leaned in to gaze at her as she continued dressing. Constricting pants were replaced with loose sweats, and warm socks covered her feet as she avoided his eyes. "No, I don't think so," she said, her voice calm and level.

She almost made him want to believe her.

"Alright," he replied, crossing his arms. "But we need to deal with Chae Ryung. She tried to use you. I don't want that kind of person in our house, but-"

"But she's been our nanny since Mi was born," Soo interjected. Wook nodded at her words.

Soo had finished dressing, but they remained in her closet, and Wook took a seat on the small bench she kept inside. "I was going to fire her on the spot, but we need her. She's integral to the house and our kid has anxiety. What if it comes back if Chae Ryung leaves? So… what now?"

His wife groaned and covered her eyes with her hands, leaning back against her mirror as she rubbed her temples. "The last time we talked to the doctor, she said Mi's anxiety is almost completely gone… and I don't want to fire her either; it would be a hassle to hire another nanny, and one of us would have to be home when the girls are until we hire a new one… Wook, I think we need to give her a second chance."

Wook heaved a sigh as he pressed his elbows to his knees and clasped his hands together, vetting their options. Firing Chae Ryung would mean he and Soo would have to alter their schedules to be around the children during the strange periods of time between classes and after-school activities.

"Well, you are the biggest advocate for second chances, aren't you?" Wook said with a chuckle. "You're right, though. We should keep her around and let her continue to work. She's proven her usefulness… and to punish her?"

Soo's shoulders rose and fell as she huffed. "I'll speak to our accountant about docking her pay. And I think we can do away with any outstanding gifts to her for the next couple of holidays."

They left Soo's closet and Wook glanced over his wife as she checked her reflection in the mirror, her frown resting on a blemish on her neck. Wook leaned forward to press his front to Soo's back, acting instinctively to press a kiss to her skin and breathe in her floral scent.

Before either could continue speaking, Wook turned his head when the bedroom door slammed open and a sobbing mess of three-year-old angst tumbled into the room, making for her mother. Yoon sat on the floor beside Wook and Soo's feet, tears and snot dribbling down her face as she held two pieces of Mr. Dinosaur's body out towards them, her hiccupping wails bringing both parents' attention straight down to her.

Wook let go of Soo as she knelt in front of Yoon and pulled their little girl off the floor, telling her to stand. "Hwang Bo Yoon, hush, why are you crying?" she asked. Soo used her hands to wipe their daughter's eyes and nose. "Tell Mommy what happened."

Wook smiled as he watched his wife wait for their daughter to catch her breath. Yoon's shoulders shook as she struggled to form words through her cries.

While Yoon took the necessary breaths to be able to speak, Soo wiped her hand onto a tissue from her makeup stand. Her attention returned to their daughter, and Wook leaned against the vanity as Soo gently rubbed Yoon's chest and slowly nodded her head.

"Mis – Mis-" Yoon let out, her shoulders shaking as she rubbed her eyes and held the toy out to Soo. "Mister – Di – Mister Dino – stairs – he fell!"

Wook swallowed deeply to prevent Yoon from seeing his adoring smile. When she finally managed to tell Soo that her dinosaur had fallen down the stairs, Soo picked the sniffling girl into her arms. Wook took his cue to take the toy from Yoon's hands and search Soo's makeup counter for the glue they kept around for situations like these.

"Daddy, fix him," Yoon called from where she sat on Soo's lap, her hands fisted into Soo's shirt. Wook joined Soo and Yoon on the bed and laid the broken T-rex out before them, uncapping the glue bottle and chuckling.

"Daddy's going to fix your dinosaur all better, okay?" he asked, patting his blubbering daughter's head. Yoon whimpered against Soo. Her mother's hands wiped her eyes again and Wook sighed as he put glue on the dinosaur's tail before sticking the green plastic back onto its body.

The procedure was simple and clean. No anesthesia was needed, and when Mr. Dinosaur looked normal again, Wook looked at the patient's family and wondered how 'dinosaur surgeon' had become one of the job descriptions of 'father'.

"Alright, Ms. Hwang Bo. Mr. Dinosaur will stay here for the night, and tomorrow you can come get him and he'll be all better, alright?"

Yoon nodded and Wook chuckled before glancing at his wife as she smiled and hugged their baby girl. "Can Daddy have a kiss for fixing Mr. Dinosaur?"

He pecked his daughter's little lips and smiled at her, poking her squishy cheeks. "Hwang Bos don't cry, remember?"

"Rebember," Yoon echoed before returning to Soo's lap to cuddle against her mother.

Wook shook his head and turned when another child walked up beside the bed and clambered onto it, plopping herself down onto his lap. Wook set the dinosaur aside to hug Mi, chuckling when she said she could not find the family anywhere.

Holding his oldest daughter and looking at his wife cradling their youngest, Wook decided that they could become normal once more. He was done cheating, and he was done being a shitty husband.

Not wanting to be hypocritical, he closed his eyes to Soo's infidelity and let her have her way the same way she had for him. They were equals, and that was why they had married – no matter how much they denied it, they were parts of a whole that mirrored each other.

When Wook looked at his wife again, she was still the vision he had married. She never hated him, never found comfort in another man. Instead, she was the same girl he had fallen for when he saw her walking through the law firm he had worked at. And now, they had two daughters to prove their love for each other.

Wook wanted to do well by Hae Soo and knew that one day, she would also make that choice for him. He would wait for her.


	39. Hiding

**My gosh, life is hectic and crazy. I'm preparing for a huge move back to America and it's all super crazy and weird, but I'm back and updating!**  
 **Thank you all for reading, and thank you so much to krysyuy for being the best beta ever**

* * *

 **Wang So**

"I don't care what you think is right, Mr. Yang, I want the entire team investigated. They may be making money but their ethics are skewed."

So glanced over at Soo as she talked to someone on the phone, her eyes closed and her free hand pressed against her forehead. Her strained voice and focus on breathing informed So that his girlfriend was almost tipping from annoyance to anger.

Soo seemed to be on edge ever since she had called him to her office to inform him that Chae Ryung knew about their relationship. So had berated himself for being careless, but he had stayed calm for Soo, telling her it would be alright.

He continued driving as Soo hung up and groaned from where she sat beside him. She dropped her phone into her purse and slipped her palm into his, sighing as she looked out the window. "Why do I bother shouting at men twenty years older than me?" she asked.

Chuckling, So squeezed her palm and pulled it to his lips, kissing her skin as he continued to drive. He could smell the rosy hues of her hand cream and licked the lightest trace of sweetness from his lips. "Because you're their boss and have every right to do so."

"This is a new route," Soo remarked as she looked out the front window. "You don't usually take this one when I go to lunch."

So nodded his head as trees and walkways passed by them. Meticulous planning, an innate knowledge of Soo's schedule, and a morning of endless fretting had led to this very moment.

"I'm not taking you to your usual lunch restaurant," So said, smiling as Soo frowned and pursed her rouge-coated lips. Her expression quickly loosened and she raised her eyebrows at the scenery.

"Is this… the Han River?" she asked, excitement tingeing her voice.

"I can never fool you, can I?" So chuckled and pulled into a small parking lot at the edge of a walking trail. He stopped the car and looked over at Soo with a wide smile, eager to surprise her with something he had planned for weeks. "Your lunch break today is going to be a Han River date with me."

When Soo's initial surprise melted into a smile, So leaned in when she motioned for him to come forward. His suit strained against his seatbelt, but when he reached the center of the car, his efforts were rewarded with a sweet kiss from his girlfriend. "I love you, Wang So."

"I love you, Hae Soo."

So left the car and walked over to the other side to open Soo's door.

With the widest of smiles, he held a hand out for Soo to hold. So gazed down at the eager face his girlfriend made and remembered listening to Soo tell him that as rebellious a child as she was, she still loved the romantic. Her love of romance novels, poetry, and pretty things had led So to decide that a date on the Han River—perhaps the most cliche of dates—was something Soo would enjoy.

And he was right.

Soo held his arm as he walked her to the back of the car and opened the trunk, presenting a backpack and a small, shiny pouch.

"I cajoled the chef into letting me use the kitchen this morning," So explained as he shouldered the backpack. "We're going to have kimbap, bean sprout soup, and zucchini jeon."

"You made it all yourself?" Soo asked incredulously. So nodded and chuckled when Soo pressed closer against his side, her pink coat wrinkling his black one and her equally pink scarf nudging against his shoulder.

So leaned in to kiss Soo's cheek as he tore into the slim, silvery package. "I nabbed a couple of the side dishes from the fridge, but I did make the main course."

He pulled a white mask from the package and leaned back, opening it and gently placing the cloth over Soo's nose and mouth, hooking two straps behind her ears and making sure they did not get caught on her long earrings. "The smog is bad today, so I'm sorry you have to put this on," he said. So pinched the bridge of Soo's nose that fit the mask perfectly against her face and chuckled when she made a face at him.

"What about you?" she asked. "What about all the smog _you're_ swallowing? I don't want you getting hurt."

So pulled the backpack higher over his shoulder and pressed his lips against Soo's mask, kissing her lips through the barrier. "I'll be fine, my darling," he said.

He led her towards the trail, clasping her hand in his and smiling as the sun shone down on that beautiful day. The Han River flowed between two walking trails and large parks, where people spent the lovely Wednesday afternoon.

"I'm not a former smoker," Soo decided, taking her mask off. So frowned at her before smirking when she placed the mask onto his face, comfortably situating it against his mouth and adjusting the nosepiece to fit his taller nose. Her peach-painted nails moved close to his face and made sure he was well protected. "We have to protect your lungs as much as we can."

Soo pressed the same kiss So had given her to his lips, and So laughed at the feeling of the mask pressing down onto his mouth. "Let's find a shady place to lay the blanket out and have lunch. I have some stuff planned since you moved your lunch to coincide with your break today."

"You know, when I said I'd give you three hours, I didn't think we'd be having a Han River date," Soo said, airily sighing as she took his hand once more.

"Your man is full of surprises," So said with a chuckle. He led Soo to a grassy area by the water shaded by a tree that was almost in full bloom. A cool breeze brushed past them, informing them that it was not yet spring.

Taking the backpack off, So released Soo's hand just long enough to open the bag and remove a large beach towel. He spread it over the grass and knelt when Soo adjusted her coat and plopped down onto the soft seat. "The weather is so nice!"

Smirking, So sat with a space between himself and Soo, removing metal containers from the backpack. "I changed the weather just so you'd like it. Your partner has that kind of power, Hae Soo," he declared.

Opening the lids, So presented the colorful dishes he had prepared all morning after his workout. Brightly colored kimbap rested in neat little stacks while a clear, golden broth with bean sprouts came right behind it. There were round slices of zucchini grilled in an egg batter, and small containers of side dishes like stir-fried anchovies, raw seaweed in pepper sauce, jellyfish salad, and kimchi.

When Soo marvelled over their pretty lunch, So felt his pride inflate, and he leaned in just as Soo pulled him close to press a kiss to his cheek. "I love you so much," she said before eagerly snatching the wooden chopsticks he offered right out from his hands and snapping the wood apart.

"I will eat this well!" she declared, immediately reaching for a piece of kimbap and popping it into her mouth. So watched with mute anticipation as Soo chewed for a few moments, her cheeks ballooning to fit the large morsel. Her eyes turned towards him and So laughed when she held two thumbs up. "Iff fo wood!"

"Don't you scold Mi and Yoon for speaking with food in their mouths?" So asked, pulling his mask down to bring the soup container to his lips and take a sip of the hot, refreshing broth. He could easily taste the anchovies and dashida, and his teeth crunched into blanched sprouts with ease. So grinned at Soo and handed her the soup so she could also lift the bowl to her lips and drink.

"I'm their mother, so I make the rules," she declared once her mouth was empty. So chuckled as Soo immediately reached for another piece of kimbap, layering it with some anchovies, adding a piece of zucchini, and holding it up to his lips with a long "ah".

So ate the little combination Soo had prepared for him and chewed through its many layers, grinning in relief at the fact that the rolls did not taste bad at all. He could taste the grilled meat, spinach, carrots, pickled radish, and fried tofu that had all gone into the roll along with the sushi-grade rice he had asked the chef to prepare the night before.

They ate and ate, chatting aimlessly and watching the sun shimmer over the somewhat clean waters of the Han River. So wrapped an arm around Soo and opened his mouth to whatever she offered, happily enjoying a normal date with his girlfriend. He hoped to take away at least a bit of stress that weighed her shoulders down.

Once they finished lunch, So packed the empty containers within each other, dumped them into his backpack, and folded the towel after helping Soo up.

They walked along the river, sharing an ice cream cone Soo had decided to have after they passed by a convenience store. She took large bites of the sweet, cold treat while So lightly nibbled on the cone when she offered it to him. "You must be a sour, sour person if you don't like sweets," Soo remarked as So crunched into the cone.

"You must be asking for hypothermia for eating ice cream in this weather," So muttered back, avoiding touching the cold confection to keep his body temperature stable in the increasingly strong winds.

Soo only laughed as So shivered. "I have to do everything in this relationship!" she said with a giggle, pulling her scarf off and reaching her arms around his shoulders. So protested as the soft pink cashmere was draped over him. The scarf was like a cloud resting on his skin and smelled like Soo, warm from being around her.

"Soo, you'll get cold," he said, trying to return the scarf to her.

"No, I'm eating ice cream because I'm actually about to start sweating," she said with a smile. Soo patted his chest and So shook his head at his partner. "It suits you, Wang So. You need a pop of color."

Pulling Soo by the waist, So smirked when her hip bumped into his. "I don't need to wear color, I have you. You're my walking crayon."

"I will kick you."

They kissed.

So led Soo away from the path they were on and towards the buildings that shot to the sky all around the Han River. He had another destination for them to reach, and with Soo's lunch and break almost ending, he hoped to get there quickly.

A small bell jangled when So took Soo into a jewelry store. It was a quaint establishment that made small, bespoke items, and So had first used the place to make hairpins he would later coat with poison for past targets, as well as a pair of diamond earrings for his mother's sixtieth birthday. Bad memories tinged the charming store, so So hoped to create a new, prettier memory there.

They walked past a pair of jade dragons awaiting a new owner, a glass case holding a ruby brooch shaped like a firebird taking flight, hundreds of little trinkets made of pricey stones, and other pretty things So wished he could buy for Soo. But he felt that none of these things would suit her.

"A jewelry store?" Soo asked. She tugged on his hand as if to leave without insulting the owner, but So pulled her forward. He did not make nearly enough money to buy the jewelry in the shop on the salary Soo gave him, but with the massive nest egg that had accumulated in his various bank accounts from his unsavory past, So could buy Soo something he truly wished to give her. "So, you don't have to–"

"Mrs. Hae, I'm insulted," So said with a chuckle as he led Soo to the front counter, where the smiling jeweler set a long velvet box onto the glass case between them. "Don't worry, Hae Soo, I can afford this."

"From your past job fixing problems? So, I don't want you to think you have to spend money on me, it's fine."

Nodding his head, So accepted the box he had already paid for beforehand. "Soo, I made good money, I just quit because I hated my job."

"But you don't have to–"

"Come on, when was the last time I bought you anything?"

He could hear her grumbling that he had loaned her cash for her birth control the month before, when she had forgotten her wallet while out.

"That wasn't romantic," So retorted.

"It was the nicest eight thousand won gift I've ever received."

So rolled his eyes. He held the soft, black case out to Soo as she made a face at him. "Hae Soo, if you don't accept this, I'll throw it into the river and then you'll be the reason I wasted money."

With an exasperated laugh, Soo accepted the box from his hands and So put an arm around her waist to watch as she opened it.

Within soft velvet cushions was a bracelet made of a delicate gold chain. Three ivory peonies—no larger than his pinkie nail—were tied in place on the band, disconnected from each other by two red, jade beads. So smiled and kissed Soo's hair as she gasped at the gift, her fingertips tracing the flowers.

"It's beautiful," she finally admitted. "I love it."

Soo removed the bracelet and handed it to him, asking him to put it on her. So took the chain from her and waited for her to push her sleeve aside to uncover her wrist. He laid the bracelet over her pale skin so the flowers looked out, and then clasped the chain.

He smiled again and held the small of Soo's back as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "I love you, Hae Soo," So said, closing his eyes as he nudged his cheek against her hair. "This bracelet is my promise, okay? That I'll love and protect you forever."

He felt her grip tighten. "I'll have to get you something too! Because you can't be the only one loving and protecting!"

They kissed outside the jewelry shop, and So kept his eyes on Soo as she marvelled at the bracelet, letting the beads glint in the sunlight. "I love it," she repeated softly, her other hand clasping his.

They walked back towards the car at a leisurely pace. There was still time for them to enjoy their date, and So wanted to savor every little moment he had with Soo. They discussed random topics, but So loved every single one of them. From zoo animals to Mi's favorite cartoons, from their favorite types of foods to their first time getting stitches.

"I'm thinking about getting off birth control," Soo said out of the blue. So frowned for a moment before asking why she arrived at that conclusion.

"I read an article that turned me off," she explained, squeezing his hand. "And I don't like how I've begun breaking out. I think it's the medication."

Nodding his head, So brought Soo's knuckles to his lips and gave her a little kiss. He could see the parking lot and the black Equus they had arrived in. "I guess I'll have to buy condoms, then," he murmured against her skin. He accepted Soo's change of heart with little thought, and reached into his pocket to find the car keys.

"Mr. Wang," Soo said.

"Hm?" So glanced over at her as she set a hand onto the car window. He raised his eyebrows at his girlfriend as she gave him the sweetest smile. So grew worried.

"I love you!" Soo declared, her beam bubbling into giggles. So chuckled and blew her a kiss.

"I love you, Hae Soo."

* * *

A week later, So rubbed the back of his neck as he walked into his bedroom to undress and get ready for bed. He remembered first starting his job and completely adhering to the strict dress code, before slowly foregoing the uncomfortable aspects and walking about in clothes he usually wore. A sport coat and button-down were much more comfortable without a tie, anyways.

He hung his jacket and tossed his shirt into the laundry hamper by the door. His hand made for the belt buckle at his waist, but he stopped at the sight of an anomaly.

Turning on one heel, So looked straight at his bed and blinked at the large paper bag that sat on it, tufts of chiffon paper jutting out in an elegant manner.

A silver heart shone on the front of the bag.

"You're either from Hae Soo or you're a bomb," So muttered idly. He sighed and reached a hand forward, tossing pink and white paper aside to look at a small slip of pink paper with pretty, well-trained calligraphy on it. "From Hae Soo," he decided.

 _I saw your watch was hanging onto its last threads of life so I got you a new one. It's waterproof and can apparently withstand a bomb, so I think it'll be able to keep up with your dangerous life of chasing my girls around and keeping tabs on me. I also got you the same scarf as mine so we can match. I wore yours around a bit just so it'd smell like me. I would say these are my "I promise to protect you" gifts, but I doubt I'd be able to protect you from much… a small dog, perhaps. So these are my "I love you and want you to be warm" gifts._

 _Kisses,_

 _Your partner_

So chuckled at the note and pressed the paper to his lips before setting it on his desk. He reached into the packaging and removed a black scarf that matched the pink one Soo had draped over him on their date. So brought it to his face and inhaled, immediately picking up Soo's perfume and traces of her shampoo.

Winter was over, but So adored the cozy scarf his girlfriend had gotten for him. His heart felt warm as he remembered wondering why Soo was wearing a black scarf during one of their outings.

Noticing one last item in the bag, So reached in and removed a soft case with a designer logo on its front. Opening the top, he raised his eyebrows at a shiny, silver watch with a deep blue face, and a small golden crown just above where gold Hanja characters displayed his name. So wondered how expensive the watch was as he looked at the leather one on his wrist.

The scratched, beaten, mutilated timepiece held onto its final strings of life with fierce determination. Soft, worn leather held his wrist, and a clasp that broke all too easily had assisted him in keeping the time throughout his past life as a hitman. He had purchased the watch after graduating from college, and it had managed to survive every bit of horror So had dragged it through. Of course, he had chosen the most inconspicuous leather watch due to how untraceable they were. But now that he was no longer a hitman, he had no need to avoid being tracked.

His old watch made a racket as he tossed it into the trash can without a second thought.

So removed the new watch from its box and examined the hefty piece, testing its weight in his hands and turning the face over to examine the back.

His eyes rested on another inscription done in loopy English.

"I love you," he read softly. So smiled before sliding the watch onto his wrist and locking the cool metal in place. He examined the stunning piece of art that bore his Soo's love and care, and decided he would never go anywhere without it.

Once dressed in only a pair of sweatpants, So laid in bed and sighed. He wished Hae Soo was beside him, muttering about her day and rubbing her eyes before giving him a last kiss and falling asleep.

Alone with his thoughts, So brought up his promise to never lie to Soo. He had already broken his promise hundreds of times by avoiding telling her about his past job, but he hated each instance in which he shied away from telling her the truth. The fact that he was a hitman was something So had planned on taking to the grave, but it weighed on his soul with each passing day. Every time he looked Soo in the eyes and silently promised never to lie to her, his heart grew heavier, and exhaustion overtook him.

Soo promised she would keep him by her side.

He banked his relationship with Soo on her promise.


	40. Birthday

**First update after moving back to America! Yayyyyyy! I'm so glad to be back! Thank you guys so much for waiting and I hope I can update more often.**  
 **Thanks so much to the best beta ever, Krysyuy**

* * *

 **Hwang Bo Wook**

His throat ached as he sat up in bed, alone on the king-sized mattress. Wook grimaced at the light that shone from the bathroom before sighing and assuming Soo was using it. He was too thirsty to care what she was doing, and when the cup on his bedside table turned up empty, he stepped out of bed and sighed again.

Wook tiredly rubbed his eyes and yawned. A quick glance at his alarm clock said it was close to two in the morning. His workday would start in a few hours, and he was losing on precious hours of sleep because of dehydration.

He flinched when Soo's phone buzzed, notifying him that a text had arrived on the screen that faced downward. Curious as to who was texting his wife so early in the morning, Wook groggily held the phone up to his eyes, unable to comprehend anything on the bright screen without his glasses unless it was centimeters from his face.

The text that had arrived was from her mother, asking if Soo was awake and if she was currently watching the reruns of the drama they both enjoyed. Wook chuckled at the randomness of his mother-in-law's texts, but ceased laughing when he noticed an unread text beneath it.

 _-Thank you for the gifts. I'll cherish them.-_

In his tired state, Wook took a moment to digest the text Soo's bodyguard had sent to her. He wished he did not have to find out in this way… at two in the morning.

"So it was the bodyguard," he grumbled. "How cliche."

Fury lanced up his parched throat and Wook's head snapped in the direction of the bathroom where Soo ran water in the sink. He set her phone back onto the bedside table and stood before she could arrive. Wook had no idea how he would react to seeing his wife, so he made the decision to get water before he did anything stupid.

He slid his feet into his slippers and rushed out of the bedroom as Soo opened the door to the bathroom.

 _Wang fucking So._ Of all people it was the bodyguard that Wook had hired to protect his wife. _What did I do to deserve you, Hae Soo? Is this how you felt when you found out about me?_

He made for the kitchen, his slippered feet remaining silent against the wood floors. Wook flipped the light switches on as he went, creating a trail for him to follow back to his bedroom.

Anger, shame, confusion, and hatred all coursed through his brain, and Wook breathed deeply as he stared at the perfectly aligned row of knives the chef kept in peak condition. Seven variously shaped blades glinted in the white lights around them, awaiting direction. All he needed to do was grab one.

His hand reached out, and Wook rested his fingertips against the cool glass, staring at his faint reflection against the case. His glare did not resemble the prim politician he really was but a man scorned.

 _You're a man of the law, Hwang Bo Wook,_ he told himself, staring into his own eyes. _Do this the legal way. Be prudent._

Slipping his hand away from the knives that displayed his face in seven different settings, Wook reached for a cabinet and opened it to retrieve one of his whiskey tumblers. He rubbed his thumb over the bumpy, intricately designed cup as he filled it with water from the sink. Old habits died hard; no matter how much money he had, he preferred to drink from the sink rather than whatever new contraption his wife replaced their already state-of-the-art water dispenser with.

Wook gulped his water down and quenched his thirst before chuckling. He looked out at the hallway where he knew Wang So would come running in seconds. That is… if he even did his job anymore.

In a single swipe, Wook threw his tumbler onto the floor, anticipating the loud crash it emitted as the ornate crystal shattered into millions of pieces. In the white lights, they glittered like diamonds on top of the marble flooring, but if his feet had not been socked and covered with slippers, Wook knew his skin would have been mangled.

It took four seconds for Wang So to rush into the hallway from the servants' quarters, and Wook raised his eyebrows at the shattered remains of his cup as the bodyguard approached. Wang So was the same height as him, and if Wook remembered correctly, they were also the same age.

Wook glanced up as the man his wife was cheating with asked if he was alright. He scoffed and put on his best smile, remembering his days in the courtroom as he shook his head. "Ah, I'm fine. I must have dozed off and dropped my cup… clean this, please."

It was less a request, more an order. And Wook knew he would pay So overtime for this. _Now that you're up, clean up my mess._

The other man gave a short nod, his expression never changing. Wang So wore the perfect mask of a man hiding his lies. The bodyguard knelt with a towel in his hands, pushing the shards into a pile.

The sight of his wife's fuckbuddy on his knees, cleaning up crystal shards at God knows what time in the morning, created a peculiar serenity in Wook's heart.

"Are you alright, Mr. Hwang Bo?" So askedonce more, never looking up at him.

"I'm fine."

Wook wondered if Wang So was after his wife's money. Hae Soo made more money than everyone in the house combined, and she seemed too close to Wang So for their relationship to just be a quick fuck.

Turning away, Wook crunched through pieces of crystal and removed his slippers at the edge of the mess. He left Wang So behind, walking to where he knew he would find his wife.

Opening the door to his bedroom, Wook stepped into the dark room and noted the lack of light from the bathroom. He shut the door behind him and walked around the bed to reach his side. Sitting down onto the mattress, Wook sighed and laid his head onto his pillow, pulling the covers over his body and spooning his wife from behind.

He kissed the back of her neck and touched her flat stomach, pulling her close and nuzzling against her spine. He wondered why he loved her: the woman that cheated on him and left his bed to kiss another man and whisper her promises to him.

But as he breathed in the remnants of Soo's rose-scented conditioner, he remembered how much he had hurt her, and how much they had suffered because of each other. He was willing to forgive and forget if she was willing to be his again.

When Wook woke again later, he hissed as Soo's cold feet pressed against his calves. However, when he turned to face her, Soo curled closer to him, still asleep. Wook leaned in to place a gentle kiss to her pursed lips.

"Mm, I'm so sleepy," Soo mumbled, her eyes still shut. Wook pressed another kiss to her lips.

"Did you buy the bodyguard something?" he asked. Soo's eyes opened and she gazed up at him, only barely comprehending. Wook brushed her messy hair aside and leaned in to touch his lips to her forehead. "I don't want to talk about your… _trysts_ on a day as special as today," Wook murmured softly, giving his wife a little smile. "Just remember whose wife you are."

* * *

"No, because I ordered the pink. I want a refund because you sent me black! I cannot have a black balloon arch at my child's birthday party!"

Wook listened to Soo's exasperated voice with one ear as the chef explained to him that Yoon had knocked over the entire case of sprinkles he had purchased, so Mi's birthday cake was only half sprinkled.

"And I can't get gourmet sugar sent on such short notice."

Sighing, Wook rubbed the back of his neck and reached into his back pocket for his money clip, pulling a ten from it and passing it over to the chef. "Look, she's turning eight. She's not going to know the difference between whatever French sugar crystals you toss onto her cake and the kind they sell at the grocery store."

"Sir, Mrs. Hae was adamant—"

"I'd really like to see if my wife can differentiate between the sprinkles, I really do. I'll deal with Soo, just please make sure my baby's cake isn't blank."

Wook pressed a hand over his eyes and released an elongated groan as he went over his to-do list in his mind. Aside from the obviously wrong balloon arch, not a single decoration was out of place. His thoughts momentarily drifted to his eighth birthday, and how it had consisted of seaweed soup and a store-bought cake, not a lavish party with a cake, cupcakes, and traditional Korean snacks made by their personal chef and an assistant hired to work the kitchen for a day.

The backyard looked as if a pink bomb had exploded in it. There were craft areas, games, two actresses dressed as the princesses from Mi's favorite movie were adding the finishing touches to their makeup in their car, and there were tables for the parents where small grills and bottles of soju were available for those who wanted as much fun as the children.

Wook had even written a "Please drink responsibly; your children are watching" sign so parents would understand that if anyone got drunk, there was a bodyguard waiting to drive them home.

Speaking of bodyguards.

Wook waved a hand over at Soo and motioned to his wife that he would be inside and upstairs. Soo nodded without care, still irate at the fact that the company refused to refund her money for a mistake on their part.

When he returned inside, Wook heaved a sigh and walked through the desolate house, happy for some quiet before the girls came home from school and their guests arrived for dinner and the party.

He stepped past the kitchen and motioned towards Chae Ryung when he saw her. The nanny ceased helping the maids organize the living room and briskly moved towards him, ready to hear his request.

"Have my wife's bodyguard come up to my office," Wook told her. She followed him through the rest of the house, replying as they went.

"He's currently at the security office, sir."

"Then have him come at once."

"Of course, Mr. Hwang Bo."

Chae Ryung's path diverged from his when he arrived at his office. Wook closed his door behind him and pulled at the collar of his sweater. The weather was already getting too warm for thick wool or cashmere.

Wook waited at his desk, straightening the single folder that rested in front of him. He slid a finger over the cream-colored stock and did not look up when he heard a single rap on the door.

"Mr. Hwang Bo, it's Wang So."

The bodyguard's very voice sent torrents of rage sweeping over Wook's body, causing his nail to dig into the folder. However, Wook was nothing if not poised.

"Enter."

The door opened and Wang So walked in on silent feet. Wook found that odd but he did not dwell—not when the head of the security team's outfit clearly broke dress code standards. Wang So wore no tie where the top button of his black shirt was undone, and Wook knew he wore loafers instead of the standard black shoes required.

"Mr. Wang, I notice you allow the security team to keep open containers of liquid beside their computers at work," Wook said without preamble, opening the folder and revealing shots of CCTV footage from the security building.

It was a petty move displaying the clear images of open bottles, cups of ramen, and bowls of cereal by monitors. Wook kept his attention on So as the bodyguard glanced down at the pictures before looking back up again.

Wook knew he was being unfair. He allowed his employees the same liberties at his offices that So did. However, Wook hated Wang So, and because he had a position of power over him, he was going to make good use of that hatred.

"I believe the security guards are trustworthy enough not to spill drinks over their keyboards," said So, his hands clasped behind his back. His expression remained cool and unperturbed, which Wook found annoying but respectable.

"I believe it is listed in your job manual that your workers are to be told to eat in the designated break room. There are quite a few rules in your manual that you seem to take as mere suggestion, Mr. Wang."

Wook noticed his tone take a decline into a sneer as his personal thoughts overcame his attempt to make this as professional as possible. He fought to return his voice back to its usual pitch.

"Mr. Hwang Bo, I assure you my job is better done without such restrictions. There may come a time when I am forced to run or react quickly and wearing a necktie or shoes not optimal for running in may hinder my ability to protect."

A sudden thought overcame Wook as he glanced over So's outfit again. Without a tie or uncomfortable shoes, it was a stupidly easy outfit to get out of and put back on in a quick amount of time.

Wook despised So.

"I don't care," he stated simply. Wook leaned back in his seat, letting the soft leather mold against his back. He laced his fingers together and eyed the bodyguard with masked contempt. "Effective immediately, you are fired. Please pack your belongings and remove yourself from the property in the next hour. You don't have to clean your office out; that will be done for you."

Wang So's expression remained unchanged. He hardly even blinked as he offered Wook what felt like an even blander expression. Wook wondered what about this slit-eyed, lanky man attracted the most loyal of people he knew to go against her marriage vows. He did not judge Soo for cheating, but he judged her choice of paramour.

So did not bother to bow or to speak as he walked out. Wook had not expected such meekness from the man.

* * *

 **Hae Soo**

Music blasted, children ran about, and adults rubbed shoulders over cooked meat. Soo smiled as she held Eun's arm and took a sip of the sparkling water in her hand. Together, they watched Mi and her younger guests eat slices of cake.

Soo put on a happy expression for her daughter's party and greeted every guest with grace, but her mind roiled and clashed as she dissected Wook's words from just a few hours ago.

In her sleep-addled state, she had dreamt herself kissing So, but had woken up to find herself in her husband's embrace. And then...

 _Just remember whose wife you are._

She had no idea how to react.

"So does Wook always invite his friends' kids?" Eun asked with a glance towards the slightly awkward adults that chatted with Wook. Soo had allowed her husband to invite the children of his childhood friends, and while all of Mi's friends got along with the new children, the adults seemed to have a harder time integrating. Wook kept himself available to his friends, and after introducing herself and inviting them to enjoy the party to its fullest, Soo had broken off to hold Eun's arm and also catch up with her best friend.

"Mi is friends with their kids, so I don't see the problem," she said airily.

At times Wook's friends glanced over her way and Soo offered her widest smile for them, but she knew they were her husband's people. They smiled for her, but always preferred to talk with Wook rather than her, so she left them a wide berth. "They must not like that I'm stealing you from your husband," Eun said with a chuckle.

They clashed spectacularly, her and Eun. Soo was comfortable in a blue blouse with a thick sweater on top, her jeans folded neatly above her ankle and her flats letting her walk with ease. Beside her, her best friend wore a pink shirt with a neon yellow jacket and matching pants. He attracted stares from those that were not used to his flamboyant fashion sense, but Soo hardly gave his outfit a second glance.

Soo laughed at his remark and glanced up to where Mi accepted kisses from Wook's mother. In another corner of the lawn, Yoon ruined her new jeans by playing—or, trying to play—soccer with the boys invited to the party.

"Can you believe Kim Ah Rong's parents got Mi a gold bracelet?" Soo asked quietly. "Gold bracelet shaped like a dragon. It has jade eyes and opal teeth. I love Kim Gyung Taek and Gu Jin Hee with all my heart but _goodness."_

"Ah Rong and Mi are best friends. Of course they'd splash on her."

"Wook and I gave her this party and told her to be grateful."

The popstar gave a boisterous laugh as he glanced around. "So where's the bodyguard?" he asked. Soo pretended not to have heard him. "The fact that you haven't fired him yet is absurd to me. What's so special about him? Did he cure cancer?"

 _I love him. I love him with all my heart. I can't imagine living without him._

"He's a hard worker and doesn't bother me," Soo said simply. Eun's words made her wonder where her boyfriend was. She glanced around and took in the sight of her parents and Wook's parents mingling, guests enjoying the party, and children stuffing their mouths with cake.

"Excuse me for a moment while I use the bathroom," Soo muttered on autopilot. Eun merely shrugged his shoulders and took the bottle of sparkling water from her grasp, polishing it off and handing it to Chae Ryung as she walked by.

Soo walked at a brisk pace into the house and ran for the living room where she knew her purse was. There was no reason for So to not be present at the party, and she wondered if Wook had sent him on an errand. So had informed her of Wook telling him to clean a shattered cup off the floor, and while she had been angry, she did not make a fuss over it.

Whipping her phone from her bag, Soo dialled So's number and waited for him to pick up. He answered almost immediately.

 _"Hey."_

"Hey, where are you?" Soo asked, biting the tip of her thumb and smiling at his voice. "You're not at the party."

 _"Wook fired me."_

Her teeth chomped onto her finger and Soo hissed as her thumb stung. Shock and fury raced through her veins. "What?!"

 _"I'm currently packing my–"_

"Why were you fired?!" Soo shouted instantly. "Unpack! You were planning on leaving without telling me?!"

 _"I was planning on calling you later. Your daughter's birthday party takes precedence. I didn't want to ruin the fun."_

Soo ground her teeth at the truth that rang in So's admission. She wanted to be cross at him, but he was just looking out for her. "I can't believe Wook—" Her voice died when she realized what had happened. Wook knew about her and So, and his first course of action was to get rid of So.

"So, he knows about us," Soo said quietly, unease sliding down her spine with the chilling revelation. She pressed a hand to her chest to calm her racing heart. "He found out."

There was a pause on the other end of the line and Soo waited for her boyfriend to speak. Her heart clenched and beat with both dread and trepidation. So was barely meters away, packing his belongings, but she could not go to him—not with so many witnesses just outside.

 _"What do you want me to do?"_ asked So. _"I'll do what you want."_

Soo instantly knew her answer and she spoke without vetting any other options.

"Do you want to leave?"

 _"Of course I don't."_

She nodded her head and heaved a sigh. "Okay. Unpack. You're not fired or anything. I'll sort this out. You're not leaving until I say so, remember?"

So laughed on the other end and Soo grinned through her fear. If anyone could make her smile through hard times, it was Wang So.

Reaching towards her purse, Soo opened it and sighed as her lover asked if she was going to cause a scene. _"Don't do anything crazy for me. Be rational, okay?"_

"You sound like my mother," Soo grumbled. She heeded her boyfriend's advice. "Stay in the house for now. I'll deal with this once the party is over. I'm really sorry this happened."

 _"I doubt it's your fault."_

After hanging up, Soo dropped her phone back into her purse. She did not look towards the servants' lounge and did not even take a moment to calm herself. Instead, she put on her widest smile and returned to the party.

She refused to miss out on her daughter's birthday because of this incident. She would deal with Wook later.


	41. Savior

Holy motherfuck college is hard. It's been all of two days and I'm ready to die.  
But otherwise I'm good and want to write so badly but holy motherfuck college is hard.

But anyways.  
Thank you so much Krysyuy. You are an amazing beta and I love you very much.

* * *

 **Hae Soo**

Whether there were stars behind the smog-choked sky, she had no idea. Soo looked up and heaved a sigh as she listened to Yoon cry. The little girl pressed her face into her grandmother's skirt and wailed as her sister bragged about her new presents.

"Hwang Bo Mi, stop antagonizing your sister," Soo called, crossing her arms and turning towards her oldest with narrowed eyes. Her daughter's mouth slammed shut and she pursed her lips before running towards her grandfather and holding his hand. The guests were all gone and the darkness of night surrounded the brightly lit backyard.

Soo looked over at Yoon who rubbed her eyes and opened her arms to be picked up. "Grandma can't pick you up anymore, Yoonie," said Soo's mother as she leaned down to wipe her granddaughter's wet eyes. "My knees are bad, darling."

When Yoon began to cry again, Soo tasked Chae Ryung with soothing her daughter, already making her way back indoors. She ignored the nanny that rushed into the backyard to collect Yoon into her arms. Soo no longer saw Chae Ryung with the same trust she had initially, but she did not yet fire the nanny. Too much cluttered Soo's mind for her to focus on someone that possessed information the people that cared already knew about.

Soo knew Wook sat in his office, working on the paperwork required to fire So.

When she pushed his door open, Soo did not bother announcing herself. Her husband sat at his desk with his glasses perched on his face. The sleeves of his sweater and button-up were folded to his forearms, and he held a pen, only glancing up to check who had arrived.

"Have your parents left?" he asked, returning his attention to the matters on his desk.

"No, they're still here. I think they want to have Yoon and Mi over at their place."

"No." Soo agreed with his decision but did not voice her opinion. Instead, she walked up and around his desk to lean against the side, looking down at the resume laid out in plain view.

"Why did you fire my bodyguard?" Soo asked. Her husband never glanced her way or stopped working, his hand flying as his elegant calligraphy marked out the answers to her question.

"I assume he told you," Wook murmured. He set his pen down and lightly blew on the paper to dry any ink that had not already hardened.

"Why?" Soo asked again. She had to know the reason.

"Gross negligence."

 _So you were jealous._ She looked at her husband with accusation in her eyes, but he still didn't look at her. Instead, he touched her hip and let his hand stroke over her belly so he could hold her by the waist and pull her closer. "Your bodyguard has been lax in keeping the security team upright, and he's been foregoing his duties as a bodyguard for some things I find unforgivable."

Soo sensed danger in his voice, but she knew it was not directed at her. Her ire flared as Wook continued to keep his hand on her even after doing something as audacious as to fire So without her consent. This had never happened before, and Soo knew that she had to fight for So.

She noticed the images of workers with open containers of liquids around their computers and workspaces, voicing her annoyance when she read over Wook's notes. "You fired him for allowing our employees the smallest of luxuries? They're adults, Wook, I doubt they'd spill things everywhere. You're being hypocritical," she snapped, sifting through the various pictures on Wook's desk and shaking her head at each one. "You allow people at your office to have drinks at their desks, yet my bodyguard can't?"

"I pay him to continuously protect our family and you. He's betrayed enough of my trust to warrant his termination."

"You fired him without my consent," Soo immediately shot back, refusing to admit to her cheating. The accusation in Wook's eyes bore into her, yet she did not allow him to touch her resolve. "How can you throw a man onto the street for allowing his subordinates a bit of convenience?"

"How many bodyguards have you fired without my consent?" Wook asked, releasing her. He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at her through the lenses of his gold-rimmed glasses. Soo sensed his fury and felt the heat emanating from his body as his anger mounted. "I recall at least five, but I'm sure I'm missing some. All those people I hired to protect you and our family. You 'sent them onto the street' for being annoying because you didn't want to be followed around. Now you're getting onto me about firing one for a clear violation of guidelines?"

Soo knew there was no way she would win against her former lawyer of a husband. He spent his days practicing speeches and writing for the president. His words outweighed hers, so Soo pulled any petty move that she could.

"Fine." She looked her husband dead in the eyes with a glare that she hoped would leave a lasting impression. "You may have hired him, but I'm the one paying him. Wang So does not leave this house until I fire him."

They stared each other down, neither willing to give in until Wook cut the connection between them and stood from his desk. His slippers tapped against the wood floors of their home as he heaved a sigh and walked to the window behind his workspace.

"Hae Soo," he murmured. From where she sat, Soo's line of sight included Wook's backside, and she let her stare rest on the back of his head, where strands of silver showed through neatly styled black hair. "What do you think our children will think of us in the future? What will they see when they imagine us?"

The question hit her by surprise, but Soo remained unflinching. "They'll know what the world knows." Her voice remained cool and collected, though her inner turmoil reflected something different. "And they'll know what we divulge."

Sensing the underlying threat in Wook's voice, Soo took a breath and closed her eyes before opening them once more and noticing Wook facing her, a pale silhouette against the dark night. The moon made a halo over his head, and Soo crossed her arms.

"No matter what, Yoon and Mi will look up to their parents. They deserve that luxury. They deserve to believe that their parents are good people and that we were a united front."

"Aren't we still a united front?" asked Wook. He moved away from the window to approach her, his hands touching her elbows. "I tried for us, Soo. I gave up any... unnecessary baggage for _us."_

The muscles in Soo's body tensed as Wook referred to the woman he had seen behind her back as baggage. She had no idea how to feel about that.

"Now, it's your turn to try," he continued. "Make our marriage work. If not for me, then for our children."

His voice faded into a whisper and Soo knew when her resolve wavered.

"I won't fire him," Wook murmured, leaning in until his face was a hair's breadth away from hers. "But I want you to stop whatever it is you're doing. Return to our family. I did it for you and for our girls. Come back to me, Hae Soo."

Soo barely relaxed as Wook patted her arms and took a step back, picking the documents off of his desk and walking them to his paper shredder. She remained frozen as the grinding sound of destroyed papers left her with the bitter taste of regret on her tongue.

Her family. According to Wook, she had to give up So for her family.

 _But what happens when Wang So is my family? What happens if I love him more than I love you?_

Soo hesitated as Wook asked if she would leave his office with him to bid her parents a safe drive back to their home.

She followed him out of the room and walked by his side, glancing into Yoon's bedroom to see her already in bed, tuckered out from a strenuous day. Mi danced around her bedroom with one of her gifts in her hands as Chae Ryung organized her new toys into the compartments on her shelves.

Soo wondered what might happen to their family if she and Wook separated. If she remarried and began anew. She wondered how her children might be affected by such a decision.

* * *

 **Wang So**

He had two guesses as to how Chae Ryung found out he and Soo were having an affair.

One theory involved the time he had fucked Soo on the piano. The other involved the time when he and Soo had borrowed a hotel room to spend an afternoon together. He remembered Soo telling Chae Ryung to file the room as a work expense.

Other than those two times, So knew for certain that no one in the house could trace them. He cursed himself for being so careless. He should have known better than to be with Soo in the house.

Sifting through the cluttered thoughts in his mind, So sat in his chair and counted the cranes on his wall as he wondered how Soo had managed to get Wook to revoke his termination. Not only that, but why she had done it.

For the first time, So wondered if Soo was beginning to love him in the way he did her. He had seen her marching up the stairs to Wook's office, and after a long discussion, the man himself had come down. Granted, he had used Chae Ryung to deliver his message, but So heard loud and clear that Soo had won.

"Mr. Hwang Bo has revoked your termination and asks that you still remain in the house and protect his family."

 _Of course. Of course I'll protect Soo and Yoon and Mi… but will I protect you?_ So thought. He touched his chin as a clamor came from outside his door as the other staff prepared to go home or go to bed. So heard their passing comments about him. They asked how he had managed to stay on so long and why Wook had decided not to fire him after already making his decision known to Chae Ryung.

To her credit, Chae Ryung did not speak. So did not trust her at all, but he knew where her loyalties lied, and there was a reliability in knowing that. As the nanny remained silent, the staff shuffled out of the lounge, and So unfurled his legs to place his feet on his bed.

His shoulders sagged with the weight of his guilt, and his eyes shut as he wondered if the time had arrived. Knowing that Soo had turned against Wook to save her boyfriend gave So all the validation he needed. He no longer wanted to lie to Soo.

With each passing day, his burdens increased, and So anticipated and dreaded the time he could go before Soo and tell her everything. It no longer rested on his shoulders to determine if his actions could be justified. If Soo told him to leave, he would leave. And if Soo told him to stay, even after finding out that he had been hired to kill her and possibly even the children that So had come to see as his own… He doubted Soo would let him stay while knowing that information, but she deserved to know everything.

So had already bared most of himself to her; she knew all there was to know… except for the single, dirtiest detail that had consumed most of his adult life.

Sitting alone in his bedroom, So opened his eyes. The time had come, so now all he had to do was build up the courage to stand before Soo and open himself completely.

Sooner or later, the blessed peace he found in the arms of the woman he loved would end, and he would fall to the depths of hell once more.


	42. Purge

**College has me whipped lol. Idk how I can be so liberated yet so chained down at the same time. Adulting is weird. It's almost 2 am and I'm crying while listening to Love Myself by BTS. It's a good song. Also, thank you Krysyuy for everything you do as my beta reader.**

* * *

 **Wang So**

Sitting on a raised dais outside a convenience store, So nursed a bottle of water while Yoon swung her legs beside him, her little hands gingerly holding her banana milk. Her lips pursed against her straw and So lovingly watched as the little girl enjoyed her post-daycare snack.

So had to report the receipts to Chae Ryung so he could be reimbursed, but whenever he bought Mi and Yoon anything, he made sure to keep any proof of purchase away from the nanny. He liked getting his girlfriend's children little things and they seemed to like it as well.

"Is it good?" So asked the toddler. Yoon nodded her head and giggled, baring her teeth against the white straw she had bitten into flatness.

She held the oddly shaped container out to So, offering him a sip. "Try!"

Leaning forward, So took the straw in his mouth and took a little sip of the sweet liquid that he was sure was neither milk nor bananas. He hated sweets, but when he let go of the straw and nodded to Yoon to tell her he thought the drink was good as well, she gave him her widest smile and So felt himself also smiling.

Yoon scooted closer towards him and So put an arm around the little girl's shoulder, straightening her daycare uniform. He patted her back and sat with her as she finished her drink.

An incessant nagging in his mind kept So from fully investing his attention into the three-year-old that gnawed on her straw.

Already, a week had passed since he had come to the conclusion that he needed to come clean to Soo, but that was easier said than done. Having grown accustomed to driving the girls around and seeing Soo on an hourly basis, So dreaded being forced to leave. He could not deny the love and sentiment he harbored for Soo and her girls.

"Mr. So, I wanna go home," Yoon said, giving his sleeve a small yank. "Wanna see Mommy."

Resting a gentle hand on Yoon's head, So patted the cute braids Soo did for her daughter every morning. "Sorry, buddy," he said, giving the toddler's nose a little tap. Her nostrils flared at him and So kept himself from laughing at her cuteness. "Mommy says you have to go to English class."

"But I don't wanna," Yoon replied with a groan. She rolled her eyes and collapsed against So's side in a dramatic display of annoyance. She looked exactly like Soo when she made a face at the thought of spending an hour in an English academy.

Smiling, So helped her sit upright again and pointed to the gray recycling bin with the white triangle on it. "Plastic goes where?"

"Triangle box," Yoon said. She jumped off of the dais and ran to where he pointed, throwing her empty carton into it and immediately running back to him for their usual high-five when she did something good.

After delivering Miss Yoon to her academy and giving the little girl a big hug, So answered a call from Mi and confirmed that he had purchased her new pencils and scissors. "Yeah, they're in the trunk of Mr. So's car, so I'll leave them on your bed and you can pack them for school tomorrow, okay?" he said as he pulled into the driveway.

"Thank you, Mr. So! You're awesome!" Mi called from the other end.

Smiling, So thanked the little girl before telling her to return to her academy. "I'll be there to pick you up after class. Mommy says you and your family are going out for dinner."

The number of cars in the driveway informed So that everyone aside from the children was home. As he walked from car to front door, So thought about Mi and Yoon, grateful that both children were too young to understand the concept of a hitman.

 _Today is the day,_ So thought. He unlocked the door with the new code Wook had provided the staff with that week and opened it with a long sigh. The beautiful weather lifted his spirits and his time spent with Mi and Yoon made him hope.

He set his shoes in his assigned spot when he entered the house. Like his first day, Chae Ryung greeted him at the door, but this time she gave him a haughty scoff as she passed by. He did not bother addressing her.

So put his designated slippers on and stepped up from the shoe room, gazing around the quiet foyer. When he glanced into the living room, he met eyes with Wook. So bowed to him out of necessity and the stone-faced politician looked away without so much as a blink.

The house adapted to his presence as if he was an abomination to its integral structure. In a way, So assumed he was.

The homewrecking hitman did not bother speaking to anyone else he passed by as he walked up the steps to Soo's office. Too caught up in wiping his suddenly clammy palms against his pants, So did not realize he subconsciously stepped out the quietest way up the stairs.

The sound of his terrified heart drowned out all other thoughts and noises, and So focused on keeping his breathing constant. His entire body felt dragged down by the enormous weight of uncertainty, and he gulped as he approached the slightly open door that was Soo's office.

On his way, he dropped by Mi's room, glancing around the lovely pink bedroom and missing hearing its owner's laughter. Pulling her school supplies from his pocket, he set them onto her pink and white duvet. He left the room after completing his little detour, returning to the path he had chosen.

His knuckles rapped on Soo's door before he could even think about what to do next, and So closed his eyes as the soft voice he had fallen in love with allowed him entrance. He did not enter immediately, taking a moment to collect himself and breathe. Holding onto the cold doorknob, he inhaled until his chest felt ready to burst. Then, he slowly exhaled.

So pushed the door open and looked straight at Soo as her quizzical expression morphed into delight. In that very moment, when he registered the beautiful woman that had loved him for the months he had been with her, So forgot all of his fears. Then, when he closed the door behind him and she stood from her seat and approached with the lightest feet, his terror came crashing down. He could no longer lie to her.

He noticed the tiniest details about her as he memorized her for what felt like the last time. The constant dread of the worst possible scenario happening forced him to ingrain in his mind how lovely she looked, how sweet her smile was, how kind her eyes were, and how happily she approached him. Their relationship flashed before his eyes, and So felt nothing but gratefulness for the change she had caused in him… and now he was about to betray her.

Soo's arms went around his neck and So willingly leaned down and nuzzled his forehead against hers as her soft lips met his, noticing a hint of sweetness in her lipstick. He held her tightly and savored what felt like their last kiss.

When Soo pulled away, So pined for her. "Did you have fun driving my girls around?" Soo asked.

So nodded, unable to fully create words on his tongue and unable to let go as his fingers twined into the thin material of her blouse. He wanted nothing more than to just pretend nothing was wrong and continue kissing Soo. If he forgot his past, then he would not have to tell Soo about it and they could be happy.

 _You'll never be happy knowing you're lying to Soo._

So wished he had never become a hitman.

"Are you okay?" Soo asked. So closed his eyes as Soo's palm cupped his cheek, her bottomless eyes imploring him to speak. "So… baby, are you okay?"

He wordlessly led her back to her desk and Soo followed too willingly. The chair hissed as she sat back down into it, and So averted his eyes when he saw the immense worry behind hers. When Soo's cool hands clasped his, he slowly lowered himself, continuing to keep his eyes downcast as he knelt in front of the love of his life.

 _How funny would it be if I proposed now?_ So thought through his fear.

When both knees touched the floor and So's nose was close enough to Soo for him to feel his own exhales ricocheting off her pants, he touched the bracelet he had given to her, knowing that she never took it off.

"I need to tell you something," he said, raising his line of sight to include Soo, who peered down at him with worry and confusion blatantly spread across her features. She kept a tight hold over his fingers as his hands lost their strength in her grasp. Soo nodded for him to continue, and So knew nothing would prepare her, so he did not warn her.

"I'm not… I…" He struggled to find the right words, completely forgetting the speech he had planned. Without any prepared words available, So stammered and stuttered, too scared of the woman before him to completely understand what his own thoughts wanted him to say.

All he knew was that it was now or never… and that hurt him to no end.

"Soo, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he said first, his voice growing weaker by the second as his palms trembled and pooled with sweat. A bead of perspiration fell from So's forehead and he breathed deeply.

"So, you're scaring me," Soo stated, leaning forward in her seat. So flinched backwards as she tried to come closer to him. "What's going on?"

"Before I came to work for you, I was given the task of killing your husband," So uttered helplessly. The walls around his soul came crumbling down as he bared himself to Soo, unable to push her out any longer. "I was a hitman. I came here to kill Wook and possibly even you… or the girls."

When the dust cleared, all that was left was a single man who knelt before the love of his life.

"April Fools' has passed," Soo said softly, her lips pulling into a smile. "As if I'd ever believe you're…" So gazed into her eyes and she trailed off, realization setting in as she stared at him. He watched in mute terror as her expression morphed from playfulness to actual fear. "No. No, you're lying. You're not–"

"I'm sorry, Soo," he said, aghast at how easily she let his hands fall from hers and hit the floor. He did not dare look at her for fear of breaking down. Instead, So kept his attention on the wood floor, listening through Soo's deafening silence.

The cold floor kept So rooted against it, and he breathed deeply as his shame overflowed and his self-loathing tore into his bared heart. He was nothing compared to the people in the house. So had killed people. It was only right that Soo react the way she did.

"You're not lying," she finally said, her voice a weak little tremor through the eerily still office. So nodded slowly. "You came here to… my husband… my children..."

"I never made due on my contract and I never will," So said, wanting nothing more than to melt into the ground. "I stopped. You taught me how to be better. I'm clean n–"

"Get away from me," interjected Soo. She stood abruptly and So winced when her chair rolled away. She took a step backwards before holding her desk and pressing a strained hand to her chest. "You're lying," she said with a breathless laugh. "I know you, Wang So. You can't hurt anyone. You're not… You're just lying. This is… a trick. I let you around my _children._ I told you everything about me."

So wished to every god that her words were true; that he was lying. He wished he had never hurt anyone in his life, and wished that he had never made the decision to become a hitman. Every stupid and malicious decision leading up to where he knelt before the love of his life and confessed his sins became a regret that So could not absolve himself of.

"When have I ever lied to you?" he whispered.

So flinched when the bracelet he gifted to Soo fell beside his hand and she stumbled away from him, almost tripping over her chair as she fled. Her slippers fell off in her frantic attempt to distance themselves from each other and So remained still, knowing that if he moved, she would scream.

"Soo, I'd never hurt you or your family. I swear. Please don't..." He had no idea what he wanted her to do. It was only natural for her to run. He was a monster no matter how much he pleaded on his hands and knees, submitting himself to the woman that looked at him with so much betrayal that he knew he deserved everything sent towards him.

Tears that So had no idea had even built up fell from his eyes and he turned his head to look at Soo across her desk. She showed no mercy behind the new wall between them, and So took a long, shaking breath as Soo closed her eyes to his pain.

"Get out of my house," she said, her eyes still downcast. Her voice remained low, but for the first time, So sensed danger in her tone, and that did nothing to alleviate his fear. "Get away from me. Get out. Get out!"

"Please, Soo, please," So begged, "you said you weren't afraid of me. You said–"

"I am afraid of you," Soo immediately said, her voice devoid of its usual warmth. "I wasn't afraid when you were a bodyguard. But you're a monster. I'm afraid of you and I never want to see you again."

So collapsed against Soo's desk as her footsteps retreated at the pace of a hunted animal, rushing down the stairs and fleeing for her life. He did not blame her. She saw him for what he was and he trusted her judgement too much to disagree.

In that same instant, before his emotions could fully take hold or the regret in his body could create lethargy, So felt nothing but pure adrenaline kick in as his body shouted at him to prepare.

For what? She was gone. There was nothing left for him in this life. He had lost the only person that had cradled his battered soul and lifted him from the rubble. And it was all his fault.

So picked the delicate gold chain off of the floor, counting the perfect flowers with his fingers as he jammed it into his pocket and ran from the office. He moved on autopilot, unable to comprehend anything but the fact that he needed to leave.

On his way out, he froze when he came face-to-face with Chae Ryung. The smug nanny gave his disheveled form a once-over before smirking and resting her hand on her hip. "I've been told to inform you that your position as bodyguard and head of the security team has been terminated. You're to return all keys, cards, and equipment, and then I'll deliver your luggage."

So had barely registered her words when Wook's bodyguard lumbered up the stairs and motioned for him to follow. "Come with me, So."

There was confusion in the older man's eyes but So did not care. Instead, he forked over all Chae Ryung asked for and followed Wook's bodyguard out, hurriedly looking around the desolate house for any sign of Soo. He only wanted to see her again, but nowhere in his line of sight was the woman he loved.

So, he did not fight or even put up any resistance. So exhaled shallow breaths and removed his slippers, pulling his shoes back on in their stead, and stepping out into the dazzling sunlight. It was a day like the one when he had first entered the house.

The bodyguard stayed by his side until Chae Ryung delivered his suitcase containing all of his belongings hastily packed and locked.

"Go fuck yourself," hissed the nanny as she pushed So's suitcase towards him. "I knew you were scum. I'm glad I told Wook about you."

So hardly listened to her. Instead, he breathed deeply and pulled his phone from his pocket, calling a cab service and providing Soo's address. He ignored Chae Ryung and Wook's bodyguard as they walked away; all he could think about was Soo, and with each passing second, his heart broke more and more.

* * *

An hour later, So coughed at the cloud of dust that flew when he opened the door to an apartment he had not seen for months.

Nothing had changed since he last packed a few scalpels and knives for when he moved to Soo's house. He had originally planned to return for different materials later on in his job, but that decision remained unfulfilled. All too quickly, So had integrated himself into Soo's home, adopting a small room within the large mansion.

Now, glancing at the plastic-covered bed, outdated TV, and neglected kitchen, So's chest ached at the depraved life his past self had lived. This was his world. He did not belong with a loving girlfriend or her sweet children. He belonged in the dust, neglected and forgotten like the rest of his belongings. Things like him did not deserve to find light.

He walked without thought, shutting the front door behind him and opening a closet to stare at all the unloaded guns hanging from the walls. Dusty black metal greeted him like an old friend, and So could no longer bear to suppress the emotions he had been keeping back for the past hour.

 _This is why Hae Soo left you._

Tears fell from his eyes as he threw each weapon out of the closet, dismantling them and hurling them away from his clothes. He destroyed what he could, unable to allow this festering rot to consume him any longer.

Dust and hatred flew in clouds as he shouted and roared like a caged animal trying to be free. His cries melted into sobs, and when the dust settled, So cradled his bloody hands to his chest and collapsed to the ground, surrounded by the broken and flung pieces of firearms that provided solace to the hitman that detested them.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, inconsolably seeking out Soo as if she could hear him from across the city. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please. I'm sorry."

The rest of the day faded as So remained still on the floor, unable to move. Exhaustion seeped into his bones when his tears dried, and So only focused on breathing, watching the sun set outside his window. The rest of the day passed without a care for the hitman that curled himself into a ball on the cold, wooden floor.

"What do I do now, Soo?" he whimpered.

* * *

So picked himself off the floor the next day.

Lethargic and dirty, he moved listlessly, picking up the pieces around him and throwing them into a large bag. He filled two duffels with every trace of his disgusting past.

His body moved without command as he sat on the kitchen floor and mixed each chemical in his fridge with bleach, effectively killing the substance and preparing it to be dumped in a crowded location.

He did not acknowledge his hunger or his need for a shower. So dazedly carried the gun parts to a local steel factory, paying his man as much as he wanted to completely destroy each and every weapon. So watched the entire process to make sure it was done completely. At the end of it all, he carried the chemicals from his fridge to a place where heavy foot traffic would wash away the stench of murder. With each chemical scattered in the wind, and each weapon turned into molten metal, So returned to his apartment with a case of soju and a box of cleaning supplies.

Everything in the old, unused apartment received care and So cleared the single room of dust, scrubbing the tiles in the kitchen and vacuuming every flat surface in his desperate attempt to keep himself occupied. If he stopped, he thought of Soo.

When the bleak apartment regained some of its luster and dust no longer flew every time So took a step forward, he stripped out of the outfit he had worn for the past two days and threw everything into the garbage. Then he stepped into his shower and scrubbed his body until every inch of his skin stung. He only somewhat felt better after ridding himself of all traces of his past.

Wiping himself off with a towel, So gazed around the clean apartment and sighed. He located a pair of underwear, found a t-shirt and shorts, and donned them without a second thought.

So looked at the watch on his wrist and felt his breathing hitch, staring at the lovely piece that Soo had given to him with her love. The second hand ticked over the face and when So touched the timepiece, he could feel Soo.

He refused to lose any piece of Soo that he had left, knowing that he could never give her up in his heart… even if she had him.

Digging through his garbage, So desperately sifted past wipes, clumps of dust, and grimy rags until he found the pants he had worn. He ignored the stains and bleached spots from leaked chemicals and instead reached into the left pocket and withdrew the delicate bracelet he had given to Soo.

Tossing the garbage aside, So gazed at the lovely piece of jewelry that had no place being in his scarred hands. The three ivory peonies and two red, jade beads still gleamed as So let the gold chain drape over his wrist, setting it beside his watch and connecting the clasp to the last link. It was a fragile piece meant for a wrist much skinnier and much prettier than his, but So wiped his wet eyes and pressed his hand to his chest, trying to soothe the wrenching pain as he realized he would never see her again.

He crawled to the center of his apartment and sat beside the already open case of soju, reaching in for the first bottle and cracking it open. In his tired and saddened state, he swallowed alcohol like it was water, emptying bottle after bottle until he collapsed over the box and deliriously shook his head.

"You always held your liquor better than… I did. Are you drinking because of me? Can't you drink because of me? Please…"

Weeping against a half-empty box of soju, So closed his eyes and realized he did not want Soo to hurt because of him. He hiccuped and sniffled, too full of regret and sadness to do anything but drink his agony away.

"Let me drink for the both of us, then," he murmured, forcing the bottle to his lips and taking another drink. He could not take any more, but he only endeavored further, forcing gulp after gulp of sweet poison into the body he had given to Soo. "So that you don't have to. So you can just… just be happy… and normal."

* * *

 **It finally happened. After like a year. Wow.  
** **Lol thanks for reading, guys. I know I don't reply to comments a lot but I read every single one of them and they all mean the world to me. Thank you thank you to everyone who still reads. Stay with me to the end 3**

 **-K**


	43. Alone

**Well hi there. It's been awhile. Sorry for not updating for so long. College happened and kicked me in the ass :)**

 **To whoever is left, thank you very much for waiting so long**

* * *

 **Hae Soo**

Large white cranes flew on the walls around a room where a man had once slept. The bed was made with fresh sheets, awaiting a new owner. The maids had cleaned everything, erasing any trace of the person that had inhabited the room for the greater part of a year.

Soo gazed around the bedroom So had stayed in, breathing softly as she imagined him spending his evenings there. The bed was barely larger than Mi's, the desk half of hers. There was little space for much, and for a moment, Soo wondered if So had gone jogging every morning to escape. Had that been her fault?

Not a single trace of him remained, wiped away or tossed out with the Thursday garbage, and that left Soo's heart feeling bare and hollow.

* * *

Birds chirped and sunlight spilled over the trees as Soo made her way to her shrines. The warmer weather meant she no longer had to wear thick coats to see her son, and flowers bloomed in the places their gardener let them grow.

Soo knelt in her usual spot and gazed over the three towers built by her own hands. She felt no need to pray; an emptiness filled her heart as, even a week later, she still mulled over the day she had forced So to leave.

She hated how things had ended up between them, and Soo still had no idea how to feel. At times, she blamed herself for being desperate enough to fall into the arms of a hitman, but then again, she had not known he was a hitman at the time. Sometimes she thought it apt that she had cheated on her husband with someone that killed people for a living.

Soo ached to think of the man she loved having blood on his hands. Her heart tore in two as she realized how much she cared for someone that eventually would have hurt her.

 _But he didn't hurt you,_ a voice in her head nagged. _He was always kind and gentle. You entrusted your children to him. He had every chance to hurt you but he never did._

Everything made sense, and Soo detested that she had been unable to see. He had never lied to her—that much was true… at least, she hoped it was. Soo had no idea what to believe with So anymore. She recalled so many times when he had told her not to trust him. He had tried to warn her, but she had obstinately contradicted him and disagreed with any self-deprecating comments he had made.

 _I should have listened to him. He tried to tell me._

A shiver ran down her spine even though summer bloomed around her, and Soo refocused on the shrines she knelt before, reaching a hand to touch Lily's. "Mommy made a very big mistake, baby."

 _But what mistake?_ She wondered if it was her decision to sleep with So for petty revenge that had been a mistake. If she had never allowed him to touch her in both body and soul, would she have fallen for him so hard?

"I fell in love, Lily Flower. I fell for a bad man." Tears fell from her eyes at the memories that rushed through her mind. Soo remembered So holding her on rainy evenings when Wook was away. He played with her children and drove them around, cleaning up after their messes and smiling when they held onto his legs at the playground.

 _I love you._ She could hear his voice so clearly in her mind declaring those three words to her over and over again. In the car, in her home, and anywhere they could just be together. He had so much love to offer. _I love you._

"He's a bad man, but he's not, Lily Flower. He's a good person. He's kind. And he's been hurt so much."

Soo held a hand against her chest as it yearned for So again. The first time she had ever thought him gallant and kind had been when he had draped his coat over her shoulders as she prayed in the freezing wind.

"How desperate was I to have found comfort in the arms of a man that…" Soo could not bring herself to finish her sentence. There she sat, crying for a hitman. A person paid to kill others. Yet her heart ached for him and she yearned to see him once more. "It was only right that I break up with him. I couldn't let him stay… because he… he…"

Shame filled Soo's body and she hung her head, letting her tears drip off of her nose as her hair shrouded the sides of her face in a dark curtain. "He was hurt. He grew up so lonely and without a family… and I forced him away from us. I told him to leave."

She let her hand fall from Lily Flower's shrine as she pulled it close to clutch at her heart. Kneeling before a shrine meant for her child, she sobbed, too distraught to care about the pitiful sight she made.

Soo loved So with all her heart. She had been willing to leave Wook for him, but now she jumped between emotions as if each one would burn her if she stayed for too long. At times she grew angry that So had lied to her, but then she understood why he had omitted the truth. Sometimes she wondered if she was the wrong one, but then she remembered that she had sent a murderer away from her home.

But one fact remained prevalent even through her various moods. Shepined for Wang So, even if there was no place for him in her life. The person she had fallen for was not a hitman in her eyes. To her, he remained a kind bodyguard and sweet boyfriend.

Soo looked up as a pair of footsteps approached. For a split second, she wished it was So making his way across the lawn to join her whenever she took the time to visit her lost child. He would always kneel beside her and pay his respects, something she found endearing and too easy to love.

The heavy footsteps drew nearer, and with each pat the pair of shoes left in the grass around them, Soo lost more and more hope. She pressed a hand over her mouth to silence her anguish, but when Wook's arm went around her and his knees met the ground beside her, Soo hated herself for crying harder.

"I don't know who broke up with whom, but…" His voice was too calm, too soothing, and Soo did not fight as he pulled her into his arms and held her, letting her tears soak his clothes. Soo could hear his heart loud and clear against her ear and she grasped at his shirt, shame and embarrassment overtaking her at the situation she now found herself in.

"Sh… it's okay. Let it out, darling."

His words sent blows raining down upon her dignity, but Soo knew they were well-deserved, and she let his words hit her hard. She was the cheating wife who left her boyfriend and returned to her husband's arms for comfort.

She stopped crying as Wook's hand rubbed her back and his lips met her forehead. She turned her hands against his chest in an attempt to push away, but Wook's strength prevailed and Soo remained locked in his embrace, too tired to fight any longer. This was her husband. She lived a life envied by others for how outwardly perfect it seemed, but now Soo saw how twisted and ugly she and Wook were, and how even a hitman like So had a cleaner soul than she.

Perhaps it was only right that So be away from someone like her.

"I love you, Hae Soo," Wook said, finally opening his arms to let her go. Soo immediately leaned away from Wook, dizzy and nauseated at the very action of being held against him. But she knew she deserved the life she lived. Everything was falling back into place, and normalcy would return.

Wook seemed ever capable of reading her expressions for her emotions, and he lightly rubbed her arm, certainty overtaking any sympathy in his tone. "I love you and I'm not going anywhere. We can get through... whatever this is."

They stood together, and Soo stayed still as Wook held her waist and dragged her so that her side pressed against his. Her chest ached as she remembered a time when she had loved the way So pulled her flush against him and kissed her as if she was the only one that mattered.

 _Those days are gone,_ she thought to herself. _You're back to normal now. So is gone and life will return to how it was._

Walking across the lawn, they left Lily and the other shrines behind. The soft grass folded beneath her ballet flats and Soo followed Wook's lead, too tired to pull away from him or do anything but move forward.

He held the door open for her and Soo entered their home without a word, slipping her shoes off and making for their bedroom. Fatigue overtook her and she wanted to lay down, too overcome by the past week's events to function normally any longer.

But fate deemed that she would not be allowed to rest. As Soo passed by the living room, Mi darted out from it and took her hand, eagerly pulling her toward where she and Chae Ryung had been spending time. Having discarded most of her school uniform in her bedroom, Mi ran about in pink stockings and her spring shirt. "Mommy, come sit."

Soo went with her daughter and Wook followed behind, sitting down onto the sofa before she did.

When Soo looked up, she saw Chae Ryung on the other sofa. On the nanny's lap, drinking from the sippy cup in her hands, was Yoon, wiggling her toes and opening her mouth to the bean bun Chae Ryung offered. The nanny glanced away from Soo when she noticed her staring.

 _You found us… but it wasn't you that tore us apart._ Soo took her eyes away from Chae Ryung and opened her arms when Mi sat down onto her lap. Her daughter looked up at her with curious eyes, gauging her emotions, and Soo knew she had to pull herself together for Mi no matter how much turmoil she felt internally.

"How was school?" asked Wook. He reached for Mi's hand and Soo sat back against the sofa as her daughter smiled and clambered onto his lap.

"Kim Ah Rong and I painted today. It was fun. We had chicken stew for lunch. It was good. We had health day and got shots for spring. Look at my band-aid, Daddy!"

Soo found herself reciprocating her daughter's smile when Mi glanced her way. She touched the two long plaits she had braided Mi's hair into, listening to Wook marvel at the bandage on Mi's arm and ask how much she weighed.

"I'm in fourth place between the girls in my class! Ah Rong is seventh, though. And in the entire class, I'm in eighth place!"

"Mommy!" Soo looked up as Yoon pushed away from Chae Ryung and scurried over to her, opening her arms to be held. Obliging, Soo picked her little girl up and cuddled the three-year-old close, kissing her soft cheeks and hugging her as Mi continued chattering to Wook. Soo ignored Chae Ryung as she made her exit. Instead, she pressed her forehead against Yoon and softly smiled as her little girl snuggled against her.

"How come Mr. So isn't here anymore?" Mi asked, swinging her legs as she sat on Wook's lap. Soo's head jerked in Mi's direction, and she immediately met eyes with Wook, who smiled and gave their daughter a kiss.

"Because Daddy's going to protect you from now on," he declared, giving Mi's arms a squeeze. "Chae Ryung will drive you to and from school, okay, princess?"

Everything seemed to move in a blur and Soo let the happiness her family provided wash over her, trying to forget the man she desperately wished was by her side. Soo could not understand the emotions that clouded her judgement, yet as she watched her girls play and run about, Soo realized something crucial: Wang So would never have hurt her or her children, or even Wook. He was a gentle and kind soul, and she had called him a monster.

Sadness and shame overcame her, and Soo felt sick.


	44. Metamorphosis

**Suh fam? It's been a minute.**

 **I'm somewhat back. Thank you for all the nice comments and for your patience.**

 **Moving around and being in college has taken it out of me, but I haven't given up. I'll see you guys to the end.**

* * *

 **Wang So**

Vomit sloshed into the toilet as Wang So retched, holding either side of the porcelain bowl and violently emptying his stomach of soju and whatever other alcohols he had managed to force down overnight.

He had hardly eaten anything, so everything that left him remained clear, burning his throat and nostrils as it all came out in waves of discomfort. So was never the best at drinking, but after quitting smoking at Soo's behest, he could do nothing to alleviate the pain of their breakup but drink himself into oblivion.

Finally empty, he flushed the toilet and stood on shivering legs to hold the sink and rinse his mouth and face off. The burning in his nose and throat remained, yet the taste subsided when he swirled mouthwash around before also spitting that out.

Slowly, carefully, he exited the bathroom and pulled his shirt off, tossing it into his new laundry hamper and throwing on a tank top in its place. He moved like a robot, silent and precise. His hands picked up the bottles of soju and liquor that he had managed to guzzle overnight, tossing them into his apartment-assigned recycling bin with unintentional precision. His mind remained blank, his hangover forcing back almost every reminder that the love of his life was no longer his.

Rubbing his chin, So trailed his fingers over the week-old stubble that grew over his face. He trudged into the kitchen and filled his electric kettle with sink water, having forgotten to buy bottled water when he was out on his alcohol run.

 _At least pretend to be human._

 _Shave when it's done._

 _Or before._

 _Fuck, it's done._

So's thoughts roamed, unable to focus until he stared at a miraculously cooked container of ramen, chopsticks in hand. "Breakfast first," he murmured to no one in particular.

He sat on the floor, placing his ramen onto the foldable table he had purchased sometime during his drunken grocery shopping. It had a princess on it. So knew exactly which princess.

Opening his laptop, So slurped the cooked noodles, hissing as the steam scalded his mouth. He typed in the three passwords required to get into his device and coughed, chewing twice before swallowing and taking another large bite of his breakfast.

Knowing that his benefactor still thought he lived in the Hae House, So slowly blinked at the bank transaction that stared at him through an e-mail from Australia. He clicked on the link and viewed the abysmally low deposit on the screen, wondering why he even bothered indulging this novice.

It was time to put an end to things. Slurping his ramen, So put his hungover state to work, lifting the bowl to his lips and drinking the hot, spicy soup that immediately warmed him and woke him up. A quick glance at the clock told him breakfast was actually lunch.

"Soo is at the company," he voiced into the air. "She's meeting her brother… discussing stocks and indexes… they'll go out for lunch afterwards… No wait, today's a holiday. She's… at home."

Jumping through whatever hoops presented themselves and evading firewalls, So tracked his own e-mails to the fool that thought themself above him. His thoughts drifted to Yoon and Mi as he combed through ages of code, erasing his presence from the internet as he retraced footprints. He was grateful that he had left just enough presence to be trackable, and cleaned up as he went along.

"Which one of you fuckers tried to make me kill the people I love?" he murmured, glancing down at the princess table still wrapped in its original plastic sheets. So touched the smiling face of the princess it featured before sighing and wishing he could show his new buy to Mi. She would have loved it.

Unspoken, but confirmed, So looked at the last traces of his digital footprint as a hitman and deleted each and every part without a second thought, finally folding his business of fourteen years.

The Wolf Dog was officially dead.

* * *

 **Hwang Bo Wook**

Wook glanced up from his cup of coffee with a smile. Sitting around a table on the floor, he and his family had brunch in their pajamas, enjoying a national holiday before Wook went to work for two hours for a small celebration.

A large spread of food sat before them, and Wook could not imagine a better way to start his day. To his left, Mi sat and pushed her messy hair aside with one hand, jabbing a piece of pancake with her fork and lifting it to her mouth. She took a sip of her orange juice and smiled as she chewed. When Wook looked forward, he smiled at Soo and Yoon. His baby girl sat on her mother's lap with only a pair of pajama pants on, her hair a rat's nest, and her sippy cup in a death grip. Behind their daughter, Soo scooped a mouthful of eggs into her mouth before feeding a bite to Yoon.

Reaching forward, Wook added more eggs and bacon onto his plate. "Feeling better, Mommy?" he asked, referring to when Soo had excused herself during dinner. Wook assumed that she had had a stomachache.

He could tell that Soo was keeping herself eerily calm, and he suspected that was her way of keeping their children in the dark about her recent breakup. If anything, he was grateful that her calm demeanor was not tipping Mi off about Soo's sadness. Wook disliked that his wife so openly mourned the end of her affair, but he knew she would return to normal soon, and he would be there for her the entire way.

But no matter what Soo felt, Wook was proud that she and Wang So were no longer together. He had no idea what kind of relationship they had, but by the looks of Soo's emotions, it was more than just a quick fuck.

In the end, however, Wook knew that So and Soo were just incompatible, and their differences had forced them apart, just as Wook had done with Si Yeon. Wook took Soo's melancholy as a sign that ultimately, they were the ones right for each other.

After brunch, he collapsed onto the sofa in the sitting room, holding each of his daughters by his side as they sat around for a movie. Soo returned to bed to rest, and Wook thought about her, ignoring the movie his daughters sang along to. Once it ended, he would drop the girls off for a day with his parents while Eun came over for some time with Soo. Wook hoped his wife would feel better later when her best friend arrived.

By the time Soo walked out of their bedroom to collect the girls and get them ready for their day out, the movie was over and Wook rushed to get himself put together.

Soo followed them to the front door to see them off, and Wook wrapped her in his arms and hugged his petite wife after she kissed their girls goodbye. Instead of kissing her lips like he normally did, Wook pressed their foreheads together and sighed, hoping Soo would return to her normal self soon so he could have some peace of mind.

Having come to the decision to move his bodyguard away from the house and assign him to Wang So's former position as head of the security team, it was Wook that drove his princesses to his parents' house.

He stopped at his parents' apartment and helped Yoon out of her car seat while Mi sprinted out the car and to the main door of the apartment building his parents lived in, already punching in the code. When Wook set Yoon down from the car, she quickly followed her sister's lead, running straight for the door and squealing when it slid open.

"Bye, Daddy!"

"Bye bye, Daddy!"

His girls shouted and waved and Wook laughed before following them up the stairs and leading them to the elevator. He grabbed his parents' mail along the way and sifted through the magazines they subscribed to.

"I'm not leaving yet," Wook said, herding his daughters into the elevator once it arrived.

There were no more fights as to who got to press the elevator buttons because Soo had already decided months ago that Mi would get to press the numbers while Yoon would get to press the door closer.

Wook smiled as each girl did her job perfectly, letting him glance over an article about his competitor, Wang Yo. He skimmed over paragraphs denouncing the youngest conservative at the helm of his party, chuckling at the almost comical way the author declared war on Yo's decrease in taxes for foreign imports. Wook remembered losing miserably to Wang Yo, yet he always drew consolation that just two days earlier, he had introduced a proposal to the President that would decrease taxes for the working class as well as negating Yo's bill in order to cover extra costs.

After dropping the girls off at his parents' place, Wook drove straight to work, surprised at the smattering of applause he received when he reached his floor. He glanced around, unknowingly bowing and accepting the applause seemingly directed at him. Wook smiled for the interns and secretaries that stood from their desks, wondering if everyone was so happy about their office party that they were clapping.

"Congratulations, Mr. Hwang Bo!" shouted one of the interns.

"Thank you, Gwang Seok, but I have no idea why you're–" Wook stopped when two members of the National Assembly wrapped their arms around him and quickly pulled him into his office, shutting the door behind them. Wook stood behind his desk, staring at six of the highest-ranking members of their party with raised eyebrows. A swarm of old men in black suits and various ties peered at him, but Wook could not figure out why, and that annoyed him.

"Has the war ended? What's the fuss?" he asked, completely and utterly perplexed.

"Hwang Bo Wook, have you watched the news at all today?" asked one of the oldest members of Wook's party. Wook shook his head.

"I did not; however, I did watch a princess movie with my daughters. I can tell you exactly what happens in that."

The older gentlemen laughed and patted his shoulders, barking out their approval and mirthfully wagging their fingers at him. Wook maintained his smile, but internally he shouted for the old men to get to their points. He had only allotted a couple hours to remain at the office before joining his girls back at his parents' home.

"This is why scum like Wang Yo can't lift a finger against our Wook! He's the cleanest person I know! Perfect husband, father, and politician! Hwang Bo Wook, you're the reason our party thrives!" Wook smiled and deflected their compliments, saying he only did what his wife told him to do and tried his best to be a good father in any way.

"Haven't you heard, young man? The president ordered an emergency committee to vet your proposal and Wang Yo's bill overnight, and my boy, you fucked Wang Yo in the ass."

Immense pride and glee lifted Wook onto cloud nine at the prospect of his bill gaining the president's approval. With that, Wook burst out laughing at the older legislator's remark, immediately making his way to his drink stand and passing tumblers around to those in the office. "We need to toast! I could not have done any of this without you fine gentlemen!"

"Bah, we're just seat-fillers. You're the one keeping this party alive. Your young blood and your lovely wife's even lovelier donations! You practically run the place!" Boisterous laughter filled the office and Wook joined in the mirth, knowing that as the youngest, he was still at the mercy of these old men that demeaned his wife.

He walked around the room, pouring each man two fingers of cognac, and while he did, he listened to their remarks, commenting as he went.

"Speaking of your lovely wife, when is Hae Soo gonna give you a son, boy? You need a son to inherit her fortune and continue leading our party! I hear Wang Yo is already grooming his boy for law school. Have a son, Wook!"

"My wife and I are perfectly happy with two girls, but she prays at her temple every day for us to be blessed, so perhaps I'll join her in prayer someday," Wook said with an amiable tone. He had worked too hard on his image for it to be corrupted by a small comment about Soo.

"Ah," sighed another legislator, "that's the one thing our Wook isn't good at. Religion. You're damn lucky your wife is Buddhist. She's your lucky charm! If it weren't for her praying for you, you'd still be trapped in a law firm, getting drunk drivers out of jail!"

Wook gave a good-natured laugh before sloshing cognac into his own tumbler, pouring much more than two fingers. They could believe what they wanted, but Wook chose to believe that he had endured his father-in-law's abuses for years at the beginning of his marriage in order to reach the point where he was at now.

A permanent and blinding smile stretched over his features as he toasted one of his greatest achievements as a lawmaker. He took pleasure in knowing that somewhere, Wang So sat in an apartment, benefitting from a law Wook had created for all constituents, even scum like him.

"A toast! To fucking Wang Yo in the ass! May the prick never dare to raise his head during council meetings again!"

"Hear hear!"

* * *

 **Hae Soo**

She took a tiny sip of tea as her stomach lurched and her skin crawled. Her blouse was too itchy, too thin. Her skirt was too tight around her middle, and she abhorred how much the tag on her waistband ground into her skin as if it was trying to force itself deeper against her stomach.

Soo tried to focus on anything other than her mounting discomfort, going over her day's itinerary. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead, and Soo brushed a hand over her nose to wipe away the drops that had accumulated as she nodded to whatever Eun was talking about.

"I mean, he set a new record, right? Longest bodyguard to hold that position. Crazy," mused her best friend. He poured himself another serving of tea before looking at her with a bright smile. "Hae Soo, you look terrible. Has firing your bodyguard made you get the flu?"

Distracted by how woozy she felt, Soo could only frown and focus on Eun's pink shirt and white pants.

"You look like you're dressed to go boating," she remarked, amused by his fashion choices, but not quite surprised. Eun merely shrugged.

"Every day is a vacation if you want it to be. Life is fun."

Soo wanted to laugh at her friend's statement, but she held back and just shook her head with a small smirk. Her watch informed her that it was time for dinner, and Soo momentarily thought about So, wondering if he was eating well. When he had lived as a member of the staff, Soo had increased their meal budget in order to fit things that he liked, like the ever unhealthy oil pastries that never seemed to add weight to him. She wished he was doing alright.

"You know," said Eun, a devilish grin on his face. "Mi called me on your phone today and asked me to save some of the bulgogi we're having for din–"

Soo pressed a hand to her mouth as her stomach lurched at the very mention of a food she found so disgusting that it sent her hurtling for the nearest bathroom, knocking her chair back and ramming into the door. She collapsed in front of the toilet and gagged into it, the meager amount of breakfast that she'd had forcing its way back up through her esophagus and nostrils.

Soo shuddered as each wave of nausea passed in another wave of vomit before returning for another round. She would have laughed at the way Eun sat beside her and held her hair, gently patting her back and asking if they were still in college, but she could not think other than to register the pain that coursed through her, stabbing at her stomach and pushing up and out of her.

"Have you been drinking? Hae Soo, the last time I held your hair, you'd downed half a bottle of tequila and we were twenty-three. Pull yourself together." His remarks did little to make her feel better, but Soo coughed and groaned, wondering why the nausea did not dissipate even after she was completely empty. "You used to be such a nice drunk person. Remember when you braided my hair? I told Yoon that your braiding skills came from practicing on me when we were in college and she told me I looked like a squirrel."

"Eun, shut the fuck up please," Soo finally uttered, accepting the wad of tissues he handed to her so she could blow her nose and wipe her mouth.

"Are you a sloppy drunk now?"

Soo wished beyond compare that she could have drunk herself into a stupor after So left, but she had only herself to blame for trusting him, and as the cheating wife, she had no right to let others deal with her drunkenness.

"Thank you for holding my hair," Soo mumbled, holding her skirt and standing so she could flush the toilet and rinse her mouth out in the sink. She spat a couple times and turned to look when Eun thanked someone. He passed her a cup of mouthwash brought by Chae Ryung, and for a moment, Soo wished she could throw the mouthwash in the nanny's face.

 _You told Wook. You told him. So left… This isn't your fault._ Her thoughts ran haywire and Soo thanked Chae Ryung for the mouthwash, using it to make her mouth taste infinitely better.

She held Eun's shoulder as she left the bathroom, thanking him again.

"Nah, brings back memories from college. We were both puke buddies, weren't we? So this isn't the first time I held your hair while you puke and I don't think it'll be my last. Just give me a bit of warning next time, okay Soo?"

"You're the best."

"I really am."

Eun left early and Soo ordered the cook to disperse each piece of meat that was not pork away to the staff, claiming that she could no longer stand even the thought of having meat in her home.

Soo skipped dinner in favor of stripping down to just her underwear and laying in bed, sore and disgusted at everything that had occurred over the course of just a week. She sighed and hugged a pillow as she endured the throbbing pain that emanated from the top of her skull and left her ears ringing without pause.

With little to do but lament her current situation, Soo let her mind run free - too tired to truly focus on anything - until she heard her husband knock on their door and ask if she was alright. His very voice made her stomach lurch once more, and Soo closed her eyes, breathing deeply to swallow down whatever might come back up.

He opened the door and walked in. Soo remained still, holding her pillow against her face and keeping her breathing even as he approached. Wook stood close enough that she could feel the heat from his body. She heard him sigh, his hand pressing into her throbbing head and lightly moving her hair.

He pulled their blanket over her body before stepping away. The cover billowed around her, too cold yet too hot, before it nestled against her body.

Wook walked away, their bedroom door shut behind him, and Soo let her eyes open. The lights were off, and she was alone in a room that was too large. Her thoughts remained centered on Wook, her headache receding just long enough for her to gather her thoughts into coherency.

Wook. He was too kind, but too hateful. Too caring, but too mean. Over the years they had had their ups and downs, but each up and each down had been so extreme that Soo was too exhausted to continue. The highs and lows that they had endured had taxed their marriage to the point that she could no longer see a future with Hwang Bo Wook.

It had taken years of pain for her to finally come to terms with the end of her marriage, but Soo knew she had to make the decision on her own. Alone in her bed, she forgot for a moment about her girls and about So and Lily and her family and everyone else in the world except for herself and Wook. They had fallen apart to the point that even though Wook was trying to come back, Soo could not fathom an ending where they were happy together.

They were through. She would file for a divorce and free herself.

And as if a light had turned on in the dark room she laid in, Soo finally smiled at the weight that left her shoulders, and the throbbing subsided from her head.

Another week later, Wook held her hair as she clutched the toilet bowl at seven in the morning, retching into it even though her stomach was empty. He rubbed her back and murmured encouraging words to her, but Soo heard nothing, only feeling the intense burn of stomach acid crawling up her throat and falling into the water below.

When she finished, Wook texted a maid for tea, and Soo returned to bed, wiping her tears and smacking her lips to maintain the taste of mouthwash. She blamed a stomach bug, and Wook agreed, saying he too had not been feeling well after eating some dubious sea urchin at an office party.

Wook left to tend to their girls, leaving Soo behind to stew in her thoughts. She laid in bed and spread herself out like a starfish, taking Wook's side and kicking one of their pillows away to make room for her legs.

She did math in her head, only able to sustain a train of thought for a few seconds until the migraine returned. Soo knew it was no coincidence that she was experiencing the same symptoms as she had while pregnant with Mi, remembering how much she had vomited and ached with her first baby. That plus she had not had a period since So was still with her.

"God-fucking-dammit," she whispered, spreading her hand over her belly and slipping it under her shirt to touch her skin. There was no sign of any change happening on the exterior of her stomach, but judging by the way Soo despised any mention of any protein other than pork and eggs, she knew that Mi's wish was going to come true. "How come they're all accidents?"

She'd have to take a test to be absolutely sure, but Soo knew from being pregnant three times before that she did not need to check. Breathing deeply, Soo caressed her belly and rolled onto her side, curling against a pillow and softly sniffling back the tears that formed from the love and sadness that overcame her.

Her gut and her brain told her that the baby in her womb was the child of the man she desperately wanted to see again. Soo wondered if she should call So and tell him of her condition, but her own logic stopped her, and she thought of how she had called the soft caring man with the tortured past a monster. She regretted every harsh word she had spat at him, and the loss of his bracelet on her wrist made it feel bare and naked. He probably wanted nothing to do with her.

"Hi darling," she whispered, closing her tear-filled eyes and imagining her and So's baby could hear her. She could approximate how far along she was, and Soo knew her baby could not hear her at all, yet she chalked her sentiment up to wishful thinking, already in love with the little bundle of cells that grew inside her without pause. She gave her stomach a small rub before heaving a sigh. "I'm your mommy. I know who your daddy is, but I don't know if I want to tell you, baby. He's a hitman… but I love him so much."

* * *

 **So like... Krysyuy is literally the goat. Best beta ever.**


	45. Hyung

**Woah. It's been forever.  
** **Don't worry. I'm still writing. Still alive.  
** **College is just really really hectic.  
** **But hey, here's a chapter for the people still with it.**

* * *

 **Wang So**

"Huh."

So huffed and rubbed his chin, wondering if he was accidentally running in circles. Narrowing his eyes at the light brush with a familiar VPN while searching for the person that had hired him, he looked further into the network, pulling up a website dedicated to the conservative party run by none other than his older brother. Unsurprised, So continued forward. It was not his first time dealing with bitter enemies within political factions, and if So had to take a guess, he would assume his brother had paid for Wook to be killed… but his family? Was it to teach a lesson?

The website was a place meant for members of the party as well as all others that worked for it. So wondered if the benefactor had been idiotic enough to use a work e-mail to create an account to wire him the money. So had little memory of his older brother as an adult, but something within told him that Yo was not the sort of stupid to use a work e-mail for anything other than its intended purpose.

 _Was it really you?_ So thought, continuing to type into his computer and dig deeper into what game his brother was playing at… but instead of coming up on Wang Yo, So found the obvious trail of breadcrumbs – and shoddily thought out passwords – leading him away from the top, but towards the financial part of the party away from Yo, but still beneath his jurisdiction.

From there, So cleared through miles of script, searching for his keywords and pausing when he landed on an account owned by one Kim Won, an accountant working for the financial department.

The former hitman scoffed before pressing his head into his hands as he found the link between Kim Won's work e-mail and the e-mail used to set up the bank account that paid him.

"Did this idiot use his work e-mail as his backup for an account meant to murder someone with?" Disbelief filled So's voice as the young man's government ID popped onto the screen.

So took another hour to read through the accountant's e-mails, wondering if Kim Won was taking orders from anyone. An hour of reading through the most mind-numbing workplace blatter So had ever experienced, he concluded that Won was a regular person with a stupidly organized vendetta against Wook.

"Do I have to track him down just to give him a warning?" So mumbled his thoughts aloud, leaning back against his recently purchased computer chair. The plastic that still covered it squeaked against his shirt, and he looked around his apartment. He considered killing Won but decided that went against the set of morals Soo had instilled within his heart.

Soo… So thought about her every day, unable to blame her for the heartache he felt. If anything, their breakup was his fault and his fault only. Her words had been warranted, and though they hurt to think about, So quickly realised that in her eyes, he was a monster.

He would do everything he could to live a life that would one day change her mind. After he dealt with the final threat to Soo and her family's lives, So would dust his hands of all hitman related business for good, and he would life normally, his only regret being that he could never see Soo again.

So, instead of killing Kim Won, So decided he would go for something simpler. He would rat the little man out to his boss. There needed to be action, but it would be best to let Yo take care of that.

Much much higher up the political food chain, So located his brother and sighed when Wang Yo's government ID popped up. Yo lived in the same neighborhood as Soo's parents, in a massive estate bought with his wife's parents' money. Yo and Wook seemed to have similar rags-to-riches stories, but So wondered if his brother ever cheated on his wife.

"Yo won't believe me if I just up and tell him some accountant tried to kill Wook by proxy…" So mumbled to himself as he thumbed Yo's address into his phone. Yo's position in the government was too high for So to reach if he took the stance of a concerned citizen, which he was not.

He wondered if the only way to get his brother to believe him was to show Yo the proof of its existence. "It's not like he can rat me out to the police without taking himself down as well."

 _Plus, I'm not a hitman anymore._

After losing spectacularly to Wook for the grounds of a new bill, Yo was bound to be in the country, licking his wounds and hiding from the spotlight. So would find him in his home, and he would speak to his brother once more.

Typing Yo's name into a search engine, So tried to glean what he could from his brother's story. He kept up with Yo as often as he could, but So did not know nearly as much as he wanted to about his brother.

He clicked on the biography that appeared as the top result.

Wang Yo's story mirrored Hwang Bo Wook's in many aspects, yet it differed in the details. Both came from the lower class and attended the top universities in the country, but while Wook grew into a liberal, Yo became one of the fiercest conservative voices. They both married up, tying themselves to wealthy heiresses with fathers whose need for political gain led to massive donations being made to their respective parties.

So paused at the sight of a family photo of Yo and his wife leaving the hospital after the birth of their second child. Even Yo had managed to find himself in a seemingly happy and loving relationship. So knew better than to make assumptions; he'd assumed Soo and Wook were happy the first time he met them, and then he had ended up sleeping with Soo and falling in love with her.

"I'm an uncle," So muttered. He opened a GPS on his phone, looking up the nearest toy store. He may as well appear out of the blue with a peace offering.

"Shower, shave, get dressed, buy kids toys, and then go to him." So repeated the words under his breath as he prepared for his day.

"Buy the kids toys." So had a good idea of what he would get his young nephew, whose age matched Mi's, and his newborn niece. Months of playing with dolls, building blocks, magnets, and stuffed animals had educated So in the realm of childcare to an extent he had not imagined possible.

His thoughts trailed to Mi and Yoon, and So paused his daily routine to stare out the massive windows of his home and wonder how the princess and the dinosaur were doing. If there was anyone he missed more than Soo, it was her daughters. The two loud, rambunctious, but also sweet and playful children that had wrapped their little hands around his heart stayed on his mind, and So remembered how he had once thought himself worthy enough to be their father if he and Soo should actually get together.

"Bullshit. She won't divorce Wook, and if she did… he's their father. He'd get full custody." So would never see the girls if he married Soo. He did not even know why he fantasized the impossible. Soo hated him with good reason and their relationship was over. She had her husband and daughters to return to, and So would wallow in guilt and sadness at the prospect of losing the love of his life until the day he died.

* * *

Wang So stood just outside the gate of a large, single-story home. Long tendrils of ivy and flowers crept over the tall walls that So craned to peek over. He doubted his brother would greet him with open arms, but So hoped his peace offering would perhaps start their conversation on a relatively high note.

The night air was crisp and the slightest hint of humidity made So wish he had opted for shorts instead of the jeans he currently wore. If his conversation with Yo ended quickly, So planned on heading to Itaewon for dinner. If he tried hard enough, perhaps he might drink just enough to forget about Soo while also remaining sober enough to get home safely.

He jabbed his fingertip against the doorbell and waited until a child's shout came through.

 _"Who is it?!"_ So chuckled at the thought of his brother's son answering the doorbell, something Mi and Yoon were forbidden from doing. Looking into the camera, So tried to answer before stopping when another voice joined the little boy's.

 _"Wang Gyung, what did I say about answering the door? Do you know who that man is?"_

 _"But nanny–"_

 _"May I help you?"_ asked who So assumed was Gyung's nanny. It felt strange being at the end of a doorbell connected to another vastly affluent house, and reminded him of when he had first applied to work at Soo's home. Chae Ryung had been the one to answer the door.

"My name is Wang So and I have urgent business with my brother. It's about a leak in his political sphere."

 _"I will pass the message on."_

So waited outside the locked gate, knowing full well that the security cameras all around were trained on him. He picked up two on his left and one on his right. He would not be surprised if there was also one in the tree on the other side of the street.

He wondered if Yo would even open the door to him. So doubted his brother would want to see him after all these years, but Yo had shown a tiny bit of recognition when they had met on the new year.

The intercom crackled back to life and So glanced at it from the corner of his eye.

 _"You interrupted our dinner,"_ a familiar, condescending voice called to him. Yo sounded tired and cranky, a usual for the sour brother So had grown up with.

"Hello to you too." So ground out his greeting, wondering if it was even worth is time to come and somehow try to explain to his brother that some kid in way over his head might bring Wang Yo's political career crashing to the ground.

 _"What do you need to say?"_

"I'd rather not say it out loud in public… could jeopardize your entire party if it gets out. Mind letting me in?"

A slew of whispered curses floated out of the obviously broken speaker and So crossed his arms before uncrossing them when the metal gate ground and shifted, moving aside to let him through.

He took a step forward and rubbed a hand against his newly smooth chin, immediately charting points of exit and where he could jump the non-electric walls if need be.

Having had his share of opulent houses, So almost scoffed at how messy this house's lawn was. From memory, So could recall the maids always picking up after the girls and making sure no mess was left behind on the perfect lawn. However, his brother's home seemed to have no such rule. Toys littered the grass and So glimpsed a dented soccer goal as well as a child's set of golf clubs. The grass was flat from being trampled on, informing So that somehow, his OCD diagnosed brother had managed to let go. So felt a sudden surge of pride for his older brother before realizing Yo had no need for his affection.

Quashing any emotions, So prepared to deliver his message and leave, unwilling to face any more heartbreak at the hands of others. For all he knew, he and Yo were strangers.

The gray front doors opened from the inside, and So looked up as his brother, dressed in a white t-shirt and gray shorts, sauntered out of his home. Yo's gray-streaked hair was shorter than So remembered, his narrow eyes more tired. By his estimate, So assumed his brother was in his early forties. He had lost track of their age gap over the years.

They stared at each other, and then Yo's eyes flickered to the large plastic bags So held out to him. "A peace offering. From an estranged uncle to… well, you know… they're for your kids."

Yo said nothing as he walked, and So moved as his brother did, meeting the older man in the middle of the driveway and staring him down.

"You have a lot of nerve coming to my home…" Yo hissed, glaring at him. "What do you want? What is so important that you– how the fuck did you find out where I live?"

Yo crossed his arms and So set the packages down, sighing. "That's the least of your problems. Do you know a man named Kim Won? Works in your party, an accountant."

His older brother's expression remained neutral, but So caught the barest of tics in his jaw. Yo nodded his head. "I've heard his name once or twice. I don't bother myself with the trivialities of lesser–"

"You should, because he hired a hitman to take Hwang Bo Wook down… most likely in your name."

Silence reigned and Yo bore the brunt of Yo's exasperated stare. The older man's eyebrows pressed close and his mouth opened into a bored sneer.

 _He doesn't believe me._

"And why the fuck would I believe anything you say? Aren't you Wook's bodyguard?"

"Soo's," So replied instantly. "I was Soo's bodyguard… and I was recently fired."

Yo gave him a dry look, his arms crossing as he shifted his weight to his right foot. So could tell his brother waited for further proof, already intrigued. The older man waved a hand for So to speed up in his explanation.

"Do you want the whole truth or do you just want what's necessary?" asked So. Yo remained silent for a moment, leaving So to look out at the setting sun that left darkness enshrouding them. The sky became dark and lights around the house flickered on, illuminating the two men that stood around.

"Which one will make it easier for me to not perjure myself?" Yo finally asked.

So shrugged his shoulders at that, not wanting to accidentally throw his brother in jail if the news were to leak. Yo seemed displeased with his answer.

"And which one tells me how you found out where I live?"

"The whole truth."

The older brother snorted, giving a childish roll of his eyes. His actions brought a sudden influx of childhood memories to So's mind. Little habits like the way Yo rubbed his thumb and index finger together showed that the older man's nervous tics still seemed to remain decades after they had first appeared.

"Give it all to me straight. And then I'll decide if I'm going to call the police or not." Yo's tone remained even, but So sensed nervousness in his brother, as if So had come to blackmail him.

 _Then again, he just lost a big fight against Wook and is probably still licking his wounds… he must think I'm a further threat._

"Kim Won hired a hitman to take out Hwang Bo Wook. I was that hitman. I haven't killed anyone in that house, but the money came from your party. I thought you should know… since you're probably planning a presidential run when you turn fifty. And I'm sure you don't want to go to prison." The entire story hurt too much to tell, so So minced his words, giving Yo only what was necessary, plus a few extra bits. He did not mind telling Yo that he was a hitman; there was no way for Yo to have him taken down without receiving a fatal blow to his career as the brother of a criminal.

In return, his brother ogled him, his mouth opening in silence and his eyes blinking rapidly. Compared to the always cold and poised Wook, So found Yo's reaction refreshing.

Yo got over his initial shock more quickly than So would have imagined, and he commended his brother on putting a mask on once more. The older man uncrossed his arms, his thumb and index furiously rubbing against each other.

Then, the tic stopped, and So lifted his arm to block Yo's hand as it approached. But the movement was slow, and Yo evaded So's defensive position to drape an arm over his brother's shoulder.

"Relax, 007, I'm not going to hit you. I see I wasn't the only one that got myself into an unsavory job. How's the pay? Better than mine, I suppose. I live off my wife's salary, really."

So stared at his brother, completely confused. He had known for awhile that Yo did not think like other people might, but So had expected more shouting.

"What are you doing? I thought you didn't trust me," So muttered, confused at the sudden change in subject. His brother gave a boisterous laugh and patted So's arm before crouching to look into the plastic bags of toys So had brought. He sifted through them and nodded his head approvingly at the remote controlled truck So had bought for his son.

"When I saw you at that New Year's party, I had my team investigate you and your connection to Wook," explained Yo, as he smiled at the stuffed giraffe So had also brought. "My daughter will love this. Anyways, I saw all the fake credentials and wondered what the fuck you were telling him about me… Pissed me the fuck off, but since you were there to kill him, I guess you're not messing with my campaigns. Hey, why didn't you kill him? Didn't you do any damage while you were there?"

 _I slept with his wife and fell in love with her. She fell in love with me. And then I revealed myself to her. I did plenty of damage… and hurt myself in the process._

"I quit," So replied bluntly. Still internally scratching his head at Yo's sudden behavior, So remained still, wondering if over the course of the twenty years they have not seen each other, Wang Yo had become a decently civil person.

"Oh? I thought you said you were fired."

They met eyes and Yo rubbed his chin as he held the giraffe up and gave it an animated shake. "You look like you've gone through a bad breakup. Was it a maid? The nanny?"

 _Of course. Wook and Soo are so perfect that even my own brother thinks she'd never be with me._

"I mishandled some delicate information and was subsequently fired. This isn't a fucking congressional hearing, stop asking me questions!" So huffed as his brother pressed one of the buttons on the remote control car, chuckling at both So and the toy. This time, So glared at his older brother, suddenly recalling with faint sadness how Yo had teased him when they were young.

"Still have that stick up your ass?"

"Speak for yourself," the younger brother grumbled back. They stood in the front yard in a peculiar but comfortable silence as Yo messed with the toys So had bought for the children.

So kept his eyes on Yo's home, letting the older man mull over his own thoughts. It was old fashioned in a way, painted light green with a black roof, a vast contrast from the chrome windows on Soo's hanok house.

"How large is your house?" So asked out of the blue. He kept his eyes on the structure before him, his ears trained to Yo's rummaging through plastic bags. His brother had always been of the peculiar sort, making So wonder how, even after two decades, he still enjoyed looking over toys and examining their parts.

"I'll give you a tour. Stay for dinner." So inhaled the wrong way when he heard his brother's offer. Coughing to clear his throat, the younger man gave his brother a quizzical stare as Yo stood and brushed his pants off.

"What?!"

"Gods you're dense," muttered Yo, his voice reflecting his annoyance. "Stay… For… Din-ner…" He enunciated each syllable as if So was the stupid one. "I cannot believe you're a hitman. Be truthful, how many people have you actually killed?"

"Was," So immediately corrected, not even bothering to answer Yo's last question. His frown deepened as he remembered that through their chumminess, it still had been twenty years since they had seen each other. "Why are you being so chummy with me? I just told you that I murdered people and you're inviting me in for dinner. You literally have no reason to trust me."

Yo stood and So quirked an eyebrow as his brother reached into his pocket and withdrew a pack of cigarettes. "I don't condone you becoming a glorified serial killer, but I suppose we both made our way into unsavory jobs. I may have a family of my own now, but outside of them, you're all I have. No one else really matters to me… and frankly you don't either, but since you're here, I may as well be a good big brother now since I never was thirty years ago."

An unexpected warmth filled So's chest, and in that moment, he unintentionally let his guard down. Standing by his brother, on a cluttered lawn, Wang So was back with his family, and this time, he felt no fear and no pain. There was still some awkwardness between them, but as if an invisible wall had come crashing down, So began to understand his brother. The silent teenager that he had idolized as a child was still his brother to this day, and So held no resentment for Yo.

Yo bit a cigarette between his teeth and offered the open carton to So, who declined with a shake of his head. "I quit."

The older man retracted his offer with a single raised eyebrow.

"Oh? Congrats."

As his brother lit up, So crossed his arms and moved to Yo's other side to avoid inhaling the fumes that would no doubt ignite his craving to smoke. He had quit for Soo and he would honor his promise to her that he would not smoke again.

Yo sucked in a long breath before exhaling a cloud of white smoke into the dark night.

"We saw each other on the new year, but it's been over twenty years. Do you still visit our parents?" Yo tapped So's shoulder and led him towards the house, leading him to a raised front step where an ashtray sat behind a column. They sat on the step as Yo tapped some ashes into the container beside him.

"Not anymore," So replied.

"Good. They don't deserve it. I'm glad my advice finally got through that stubbornness of yours."

 _Not yours, you narcissist prick,_ So thought with amusement. _Soo made me stop going. She told me how to become better at caring for myself._

"Why didn't you ever go back?" So glanced at his brother when Yo turned to look at him. Then, the younger brother glared and bounced backwards when Yo blew a stream of smoke straight for his face.

"Wimp."

"Asshole."

So returned to his spot once the air cleared, suddenly grinning as faint memories of sitting with Yo on the sidewalk and munching on small snacks appeared in his mind. This time, he sat closer to his brother and dared to do something he would never have imagined doing any other time they were in the same vicinity. It was something he had seen Soo doing to Baek Ah.

Tipping his head to the side, So slowly leaned his forehead against Yo's shoulder. His hair pressed into the older man's shirt and his eyes remained open, his breathing halting as he prepared to bounce backward if Yo retaliated.

But Yo merely blew his smoke away from So's face and reached over to pat his head. So exhaled and closed his eyes as his brother's hand touched his head in the same way Soo had once done. It was a gesture that sent a cool wave of relaxation throughout So's tense muscles, and he leaned just a bit closer to his brother.

"You're a good kid," Yo replied softly. "But you're also blindly loyal… almost to the point of being a complete idiot. But I'm not." He pressed his burnt out cigarette into his ashtray and So blinked rapidly as Yo gave his cheek a light, but still stinging, pat. "I started smoking in high school. Back when we still lived in the same place. I made money doing odd jobs and instead of forking it over and maybe giving us more to eat or maybe something better to wear, I decided to smoke as a way to give myself some semblance of control.

"I decided that if I was going to die, it wasn't going to be because our parents hit me until I bled out onto the bathroom floor, but because I chose to die… preferably from lung cancer."

So winced at the morbid description and his brother noticed. Immediately, Yo's hand returned to his head, giving it a gentle pat. "You're an adult hitman and yet I baby you more than my son. There there, little hitman, your big brother is here."

Ignoring the snide teasing, So shook his head against Yo's shoulder.

"You're smoking to die."

"No, it's more of an addiction now. I'm too happy to die. My wife is amazing, my kid is great, my baby is annoying but too cute to hate, and my job is amusing even though your old boss is a pain in my ass."

Jealousy and sadness overcame So as he listened to Yo speak. Suddenly, So recalled his fantasies of being Hae Soo's husband and raising her girls with her. Being a father and having two daughters and a wife that he adored seemed so far out of reach that So could not help but laugh at his own depravity.

"Hey, So?"

"Hm?" So glanced upwards.

"How much does it cost for you to kill Kim Won for me? How much for Wook?"

Narrowing his eyes, So laid his head back onto his brother's shoulder, fatigue setting in even as Yo's question hung in the air, loaded and dangerous. "I'm retired."

The older man chuckled and So felt himself smiling as well. "How much to give him a really good scare, then?"

So shrugged his shoulders and pondered the second question for a bit longer. He had already planned on doing something that would keep Won from buying another hitman, and scaring him did align with So's plans.

"Pro bono if I decide to go through with it."

Yo gave and approving nod. His shoe shifted against the plastic toy bags and So noticed that they wore the same shoe size.

"Did you happen to pick up any dirt on Hwang Bo Wook while you worked there? A few months is enough to pick up on the servants' gossip, right?"

So's breathing slowed and his palms itched. The weight of Yo's question hit him all at once, leaving him confused as to if he should divulge anything to Yo.

 _He cheated on his wife for six years and his mistress is in Seoul. He hates his unborn son. He's an atheist, and thinks that those who do believe in gods are stupid… His wife cheated on him with me. She said she loved me. And I love her… and if I tell you any of this, the blowback on her will be exponential compared to what hits Wook._

"Nothing," So said deftly. "He's clean as a whistle." The lie rolled off his tongue with ease, and it pained So to know that in keeping information from Wook's enemy, Wook would only continue to have everything. But what else could he do but protect Soo by proxy?

Before either So or Yo could speak again, the front door opened and So looked to the door as his sister-in-law stepped out, marching on bare feet towards them, a foul glare on her face. From what So recalled from seeing her at the New Year's party earlier she had obviously had her baby and lost weight.

"You said you'd be three minutes and it's been thirty!" _Park Mun Seong,_ So recalled her name. The daughter of a real estate tycoon. She wore a long sweater that reached her knees, and when Yo held his wife's ankle, So noticed green leggings. "Hello, how are you?"

So blinked in silence at the daunting woman that leaned over him and Yo, not realizing that the question was meant for him.

"Mun Seong, this is my little brother," Yo said, becoming the bridge between them. So nodded his head. "Wang So, this is my lovely wife. Park Mun Seong."

So stood to shake his sister-in-law's hand and she immediately smiled, only reserving her glare for her husband. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you! I was wondering when Yo was going to bring you around. Our son will be so happy to meet you. He always asks why there are so many girls in the family."

The sudden influx of chatter made So's head spin, and the warm smile Mun Seong offered only barely confused him now.

"I invited him to stay for dinner," Yo stated, standing and leaning close to press a kiss to his wife's forehead. She ducked away from his gesture and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Then you should have brought him inside and talked with him over dinner - which is cold now, thanks to you. Little brother, please come in…."

"Wang So," So finally said, introducing himself. "I um… I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner. I did bring a few things for the children."

"So spent twenty years working abroad and just came back last year or so," Yo said smoothly. So frowned at his brother's lie but said nothing, knowing that Yo would keep his secret.

Mun Seong's eyebrows rose and So nodded his head as he found himself being ushered into the warm and brightly lit house by his brother and sister-in-law.

"Well, he can tell us all about it over cold pot roast. I'm so sorry my husband is an idiot, So. He has no concept of time, really."


	46. Mother

**It's summer break! Yay!**

 **I plan on finishing this fic over break and posting over the course of next semester. We shall see how that pans out. You all have every right to locate me on tumblr and shout at me if I don't pull through.**

 **ESKETTIT**

* * *

 **Hae Soo**

Amber-colored water rippled within the small, handleless cup, and Soo stared at her reflection as it distorted. The tea seemed to calm her nerves by a hair, but her insides still roiled at the thought of anything that wasn't tea. The tiny little tap-tap-tapping inside her did little to console her, and Soo hated resisting the urge to hold her belly and calm the little baby inside her.

"Eyes up, darling. You've been moping into your tea for too long. Tell me what's wrong."

Lifting her chin, Soo looked at her mother as the older woman peered down at her. Go Myung's kind smile focused on Soo as she circled a finger around the rim of her teacup. "Do I have to hug you and sing to you like I did when you were a little girl? Aren't you a bit grown for that?"

The older woman reached a hand out and Soo sat straight as her mother poured herself another cup of tea. Myung's gold ring clacked against her cup. "I heard from Wook that Mi's grades are rising. Second place in her class isn't bad. Much better than you, I'd say. And Yoon has been learning her manners well at preschool… though is it true she told her teacher that her outfit was ugly? Must have learned that one from Eun."

Soo nodded, listlessly following along as she tried to organize the jumble of thoughts in her cloudy mind. She focused on her mother's blue blouse and slouched in her seat, already fed up with trying to maintain a sense of normalcy.

"Are you and Wook doing alright?"

Her mother's accusing tone shot straight through her barriers and Soo look up in an instant. Her eyes widened as her mother quirked an eyebrow at her. "Hae Soo, are you feeling alright?"

Swallowing deeply, Soo took a breath and shook her head, fighting the urge to hold her belly and find comfort in knowing that her baby was alright. Four pregnancy tests and a secret trip to her doctor had confirmed everything she needed to know.

"Mother… what would you do if you fell in love with someone that… that wasn't my father?" she asked quietly. Tap tap tap, her baby moved and kicked inside. Three pregnancies down and Soo could already feel the tiniest of movements from her littlest love.

Soo scrutinized the woman before her, seeking the answers to her own questions through her mother's opinion. Suddenly, Go Myung's gaze darkened, and Soo knew she understood. Her mother was not someone she could lie to easily, and when the older woman set her teacup down, Soo fought the urge to flinch or retract her words. She expected a sharp rebuke, a glare, or even a condescending look. Soo could recall many times her mother had scolded her when she had been a child. She had hardly listened to her mother in her youth, but this time, Soo sought advice.

"I would choose whoever made me the happiest," Go Myung stated simply. She tapped a perfectly filed nail onto her cup as a confused look overtook Soo's melancholy features.

"But your children-"

"Are important, and are the light of your life. However, you deserve to be happy too. Being a mother does not mean you have to sacrifice every bit of yourself into raising your children. They will understand when they're older."

Before Soo could respond, her mother waved a hand as if to blow away any bad air. Nonchalantly, she gave a dainty sigh. "I think you're too old to be asking dear Mommy for advice on things like this. But," Myung's eyes opened and she narrowed them at her daughter, "if you have found someone outside of your marriage, you should think very very hard about your actions before you continue."

There was a moment of silence. The clock on the wall ticked as Soo digested her mother's advice. Her fingers knotted and strangled themselves into her sweater and Soo bit the inside of her cheek as her mother look down at her, a familiar, scolding look on her face.

"I'm pregnant," Soo whispered, hanging her head and letting her hair cover her face as she braced for the brunt of her mother's scolding. She could still hear the way her mother had berated her for getting pregnant with Mi the first time. Soo doubted she would hear the end of her mother's tirades after having a child out of wedlock with a man that was no longer in her life.

The words hung in the air, a noose waiting for Soo to lean her neck into. Soo saw her own eyes widen in her mother's face, closing her own as she lost her battle of wills and let her hands rush to her stomach to protect the baby inside.

Too many thoughts mixed with too many emotions, and Soo found herself choking back tears as she convulsed through love, hate, anger, fear, and happiness in a matter of seconds. Her head hurt and her heart ached.

"Well…" said her mother. The older woman addressed her daughter with stunned eyes, her mouth opening and closing once before shutting completely. Go Myung brushed something off of her skirt and returned her gaze to her distraught daughter.

"I don't regret it. And I'm keeping this baby," Soo blurted, steeling her voice and holding her belly even as she raised her gaze to look at her mother. "I love that m- I loved him. The father."

Go Myung's eyes narrowed. A disappointed glare settled into her features as she eyed her daughter.

"And what will you tell Wook?"

Soo's fists clenched into her sweater at the mention of Wook's name but she held fast. "I've already consulted a lawyer. I'm going to divorce him and fight for custody of my children. Clan name be damned, he has no right to full custody just because he's their clan head."

Crossing her arms, Go Myung sat back in her seat as Soo ranted. Soo kept her eyes firmly trained on her mother, gauging her for any outward sign of… well, Soo had no idea what she was looking for. Her mother was disappointed in her, but she had already made her decision regarding her baby and Wook.

Go Myung eyed her with amusement. Her hand reached to stroke her chin, her elbow resting against the table. "You've changed. I would have expected blanketed submission… or is it the baby? Are you leaving Wook because you're pregnant? Off to find the father… wherever and whoever he might be?"

Soo gnawed on the inside of her cheek as she shook her head, lifting her chin in defiance and addressing her mother with a hard look in her eyes. The stress that knotted in her belly dissipated and she sat back against her seat, suddenly clearly aware of what her answer was.

Her heart ached as she spoke, but Soo forced her shoulder still. She knew that she had to move forward. To look back would mean to wallow in the stupidity, the agony, and the hopelessness of the past.

"I'm not going to look for the father." The image of So conjured itself in her mind, and Soo paused for the heartbeat it took for her to wonder if her baby would look like him. Wang So, with his narrow eyes and sharp features. His smile would light up her day, but now she had no idea where he was. All she had was the little tap-tap-tap inside her that told her she would never see her baby's father again, and a phone number that she could not bring herself to delete. He was a short phone call away, but Soo was too afraid of rejection to reach out. "He's gone for all I know. And I'm divorcing Wook because I'm not happy with him.

"Mother, I just came here to get my mind off of things, not to be lectured. I have ultrasounds if you want, but if not, then I want to talk to you about moving back into the west suite."

Soo raised her eyebrows and Go Myung smiled. Her mother switched seats to sit beside her, reaching an arm out to wrap around Soo's shoulders while the other hand placed against her belly, where a small bump made itself known. The older woman gave Soo's stomach a pat.

"You know your father and I will support your choices. We'll be here for you and your newest little one. Now, I want to be the first to see my new grandbaby," she immediately said, her tone changing at the drop of a hat. "Let's see that little angel."

With a sheepish smile, Soo reached into her purse and withdrew a clipped stack of images. Removing the metal holder on the stack, Soo passed them over to her mother for inspection.

"Healthy and happy," she said as Myung softly cooed at the tiny little bean in the ultrasounds. Amid a snowy image, the definite shape of her baby was preserved in the picture before her. "I'm at nineteen weeks."

"Will you move here when you divorce Wook? Because the thought of having the girls and a baby in the house is already so exciting. I want all my grandbabies around me. You and the girls can have the western side of the house. Plenty of space for you three and the baby."

Soo bit her bottom lip at the thought of the fight she would have to put up to have custody of her children. "Mother… our divorce is going to be messy."

Go Myung waved the ultrasounds back and forth before leaning in and patting Soo's cheek. The haphazard smile on the older woman's face recalled memories of childhood for Soo, when she had messed up so badly that her mother had not even bothered to scold her and had instead let her stew in her own self-deprecation.

"Hae Soo, if you want this, then you'll have to fight for it. In any case, I will personally make sure you have the best divorce lawyers in the country on your side. But for now," she clapped her hands together, "I think we should talk about renovating the western wing of the house so it'll be ready when you and the girls move in.

"New furniture and a new wallpapering is a given. Your father and Baek Ah were talking about getting a playground built just for the girls and I talked them out of it, but I'll concede on a playpen for the baby."

Suddenly noticing how much she had been smiling, Soo leaned against her mother and sighed, finally able to breathe without worry for just a moment. She felt little again as Go Myung's gentle hands patted her back and head.

"So, you're conceding yourself to being a single mother?" asked Go Myung. Her rouged lips pursed as she quirked an eyebrow in what was clearly a judging look.

Shaking her head, Soo gave her belly a rub as her baby stopped kicking. "I'll take time off to have the baby, but I was hoping you'd take care of my children. I want to go back to work. I'm sure Baek Ah and Dad will be okay with me really jumping into the thicket this time."

Soo could count on one hand the number of time her mother had looked at her with that proud look in her eyes, and each time had involved her children. But this time, she felt that she had earned that look all on her own.

It was childish, but Soo felt proud.

On the drive home, she thought of So again. She recalled him driving her in this very car. On the new year, he had kissed her, and now she missed him more than anyone in the world. Hitman or no, she loved him with all her heart. She faulted his surroundings for making him the way he was. There had been too much sadness and suffering in his youth. She did not blame him for taking a dark road. She hoped he was not smoking again. Soo hoped that she had not hurt him enough into reverting back to bad habits.

Her left hand clutched her phone as her right drove. Wook had not offered her another bodyguard, and Soo knew that if he had she would have declined. Soo's heart ached and her hand curled into a shackle against her steering wheel.

Using her thumbprint to unlock her phone, she used her voice assistant to call someone she had not expected to speak to so soon.

She was done letting other people make decisions for her. Soo decided she would do everything her way from now on.

"This is Hae Soo," she spoke into her phone, cringing at her own tone and gnawing on her bottom lip as she drove. Her hand shook as she held her phone to her ear, too engrossed in her actions to search her purse for her bluetooth. "I'd like to inquire about my divorce papers… could you expedite the process, please?"


	47. Lipstick

**Hello all! thanks so much for all the lovely comments! I'm so so so happy people still look out for my fic :')br /**

 **You all make my day!**

* * *

 **Hwang Bo Wook**

Rubbing his dry lips together, Wook frowned as he perused Soo's makeup counter for anything similar to lotion or lip balm. His own lip balm was upstairs in his work bag, and Wook did not feel like walking all the way up there just to grab one thing. Hae Soo lacked nothing on her makeup counter - he was sure he could find something as simple as lip balm.

"Toner… Emulsion… Cellular Radiance what? How does one person need this many face creams?" He muttered to himself as he avoided touching the perfect setup he knew Soo agonized over. "Hwang Bo Mi I dread the day you begin asking for makeup and products."

He opened a drawer and blinked at the neatly organized tubes of what he assumed was lipstick… and lip gloss… and something called tint. He doubted any of these were the things he was looking for. "Hae Soo, you could establish your own mall."

Amused at his wife's love for makeup and products, Wook thought about the business degree she had, wondering if she was not the daughter of a tech mogul, she would have become an aesthetician.

Wook turned at the sound of the bedroom door opening. His eyebrows rose when Mi flounced in and waved to him on her way to Soo's purse on the floor. Her pink slippers tapped on the floor and her pigtails bounced as she cheerfully approached. "I thought it was study time," Wook said, his voice growing strict as his little girl perused her mother's handbag. Her little hands dug around and Wook prepared to scold his daughter. He frowned as Mi nodded her head.

"Mommy needs lip balm. She asked me to get it."

His ire was short-lived and Wook strode to where his daughter knelt on the floor and procured a slim, black tube that he would never have been able to identify on sight. Opening his palm, Wook asked for the tube first. "Can Daddy use that before you take it?"

He smiled when Mi dropped the lip balm into his hand. Wook clicked the case open and removed the tube, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the superfluous packaging for the little product.

Slathering a copious amount of clear balm on his lips, Wook sighed in relief before snapping the lip balm back into its case and passing the bullet over to Mi. "Thank you, Princess. Now go back and study hard. You have to do good in school to be successful."

Wook held back the laugh that threatened to leave him when Mi's cheerful expression melted into the long-suffering look of a child already laden with too much to study. He felt for his little girl, but knew that it was for the best that she put her mind to work as much as possible.

Continuing to sit on the floor, Wook let his eyes wander to Soo's bag as Mi walked away to deliver her mother's lip balm. Wook rubbed his lips together again, feeling the soft wax shift. It smelled like roses - a scent he had come to attribute only to Soo. When he licked his bottom lip, it tasted like her. His eyes scanned over loose receipts, her coin purse, wallet, and…

Frowning, Wook reached into Soo's bag and pushed the receipts aside to collect a shiny, gold paperclip. The little device held together a small stack of pictures, which Wook quickly deduced to be ultrasounds. Gingerly holding the smooth, flimsy paper, Wook brought the stack closer to see what they looked like.

Without his glasses, he squinted to look at the tiny little thing that swam in a wash of gray ink, wondering if he could deduce from memory if this baby was Mi or Yoon. He hardly questioned why Soo kept ultrasounds in her purse, letting himself hope that having these in her bag would push her to have one more baby.

Even holding the ultrasounds of their children made Wook smile, and he lightly touched the white curve of their baby with the tip of his finger, remembering when Soo had been pregnant. Each time had been a moment of joy in their lives, and Wook remembered how much Soo had put up with to bring their babies into the world.

Glancing at the date to confirm which baby it was, Wook frowned as his vision cleared just enough for him to discern the date. A moment passed as he read and reread the date that was only a few weeks ago.

The gears slowly clicked in place and Wook squinted harder, scanning the rest of the ultrasound to gather any and all information he could.

"Oh, Hae Soo…" he murmured, touching the tiny dot that lived inside his wife. Wook did not need to look up at the calendar on Soo's vanity that marked the dates of her cycles. He did not need to count the number of times they'd had sex. After Wang So left, Soo had refused to even face him as they slept. There was no doubt whose baby this was... but Wook hardly cared.

 _Good thing you left, huh Wang So?_ Wook thought to himself. He chuckled softly, running his finger over the picture once more. He felt no animosity to the child. The baby had no faults. How was it to know that it had been conceived from an adulterous relationship between mother and bodyguard?

"Your father isn't ever coming back… so I'll be your father." Whether or not he hated Wang So did not matter. Wook loved Hae Soo and felt himself falling more for her every day. His mistakes of the past were just that - of the past. He would make amends to his wife in this way.

Wang So was gone, and Hae Soo's baby needed a father. Wook hardly liked the idea of Wang So's child living beneath his roof, but when he thought of how the baby in his wife's belly was half of Hae Soo and a direct sibling to his children, Wook felt better about what was happening. Hwang Bo Mi and Yoon would have another sibling related by blood, something Wook did not mind considering how much his princess had wanted another family member.

"Little one… you'll be loved." Wook traced the image with the tip of his pinkie before depositing the stack neatly into Soo's purse once more. There was no need to find its exact location; Soo's bag was cluttered to the point that she would not know that he had even gone near it.

Standing, he rubbed his lips together to feel the lip balm once more, and exited his bedroom.

Wook thought of his children and the number of bedrooms in the house. No doubt Soo would want to keep the baby close to them when it was born, so he had time to choose a bedroom the convert for the little one. He could already envision the late nights and long days with the new baby.

 _Or…_ Wook thought of how adamant his wife had been about them moving in with her parents after they'd had Yoon. He knew that his own mother had caused her so much undue stress.

 _We could move in with her parents,_ Wook thought. They could take one of the empty areas of the estate and raise their three children there. The home's location would allow easy access to some of the best elementary and middle schools in the country, and shorten Soo's commute to work when she chose to return postpartum.

* * *

Later that evening, Wook clambered into bed beside his wife, noting the fact that she only wore underwear. "Do you want me to tell Chae Ryung to lower the thermostat?" Wook asked as he laid down. Soo did not reply, instead she turned around and faced him, her eyes closed, but her arm tightly grasping their blanket against her body.

Removing his glasses, Wook set them onto his nightstand and turned off his lamp. He pulled the covers over his body and scooted closer to Soo, pulling her into his arms and relishing the contact in their bare skin. She complained instantly, moaning and groaning about the heat. Soo's hand met his chest and Wook opened his arms.

"I just wanted to hug you," Wook said with a chuckle. He let go of Soo and felt her roll over to her side of the bed. "I love you, Hae Soo."

"Hmm…"

The next morning, Wook woke abruptly when Soo kicked him on her way off the bed to sprint to their bathroom. He groaned and rubbed his shin, clambering out of bed and walking to where he could hear his wife throwing up. The floor was cold against his feet as he made for the bathroom, squinting in his sleep-addled haze.

He knelt beside Soo on the cold floor and blindly pulled her hair into a ponytail, gripping it gently with one hand and patting her back with the other as she gagged into the toilet.

"I guess the morning sickness is bad this time around?" he asked, yawning against his wife's back.

Soo coughed before turning towards him with a wad of tissues against her nose, eyes wide in shock. Then, Wook realized what he had just said. Soo blew her nose as he kissed her shoulder and gently wrapped his arms around her waist. "I love you both very much."


	48. Human

**Idk how to feel now that we're getting closer to the ending bit by bit. There's still a whole bunch left, but like... It's really weird to finally be at the place I first started about writing when I began this monster fic in 2017.**

 **Anyways, enough of my jabbering. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Wang So**

 _Delete. Delete. Delete… Delete._

Wang So looked up from his computer screen and inhaled softly, running his fingertips over the smooth top of his screen and lightly pushing his laptop closed. He looked across the silver spanse of his computer and then beyond it to the front door as if someone would come for him. There was no one in his life that would randomly knock on his front door and come to see him with good intentions. So gathered that he deserved as much. He had lived a life of depravity and was now atoning for those sins. Loneliness was one of those punishments.

The Wolf Dog was gone. His past self was nothing but a memory and a shadow in the minds of the people that had hired him. Deleting his entire existence had been easier than starting it, and now he sat in his flat, alone and just Wang So. There was nothing else to him anymore but his name and the money that remained from an erased past.

Now, even the most diligent of his customers would never be able to locate him. Every single aspect of himself was gone, and a weight fell off of his shoulders like had never happened before.

The money from Won Seok had trickled and dried up a few weeks into the months-long process of deleting himself. So assumed that was because of Yo taking action, but he would not be completely at ease until he checked for himself. Until then, Won Seok was still a threat in his eyes.

So no longer updated the security around Soo's home. He gave everything he knew into fortifying the firewalls around the Hwang Bo household before taking his hands off for good. He blocked any and all malware that he could think of, building walls and creating a fortress that could rival Fort Knox. Anything and everything he could do to protect Soo and Mi and Yoon, he did his damndest to make.

His heart broke as he logged off of her family's network for the last time, but the only solace he could gain was knowing that he would not become an obsessed boyfriend. He could love her from afar without being a threat to her or her family.

Sitting with his back against his bedframe, he took his computer off of his lap and placed it onto the floor. Then, staring at the door that would never open, he thought of Soo. His hand reached for his pocket, his fingers wrapping around his phone and pulling it out.

He looked at the dark piece of glass and metal, remembering the memories he had stored into its hard drive. Pictures from a blinding and radiant past that perpetually haunted his dreams. He held onto it, trying hard not to think of the hundreds of photos where Soo smiled at him and his camera. When they were happy and her eyes were full of trust and love.

He had no wish to look at the pictures and remind himself that the woman he adored was no longer his. If he looked at the pictures, he would see Hwang Bo Wook's wife… but he would also see her smile.

Shaking fingers unlocked his phone and So swallowed thickly as he lost his trial of wills and opened up his gallery, aimlessly scrolling backward and tapping on a random photo.

His hands shook.

Hae Soo beamed at him, her eyes wide and her teeth showing. She wore nothing but a bedsheet, and even then her top half was completely bared for the camera. Her hair was messy and fell by her shoulders, but she was radiant. She was so happy and so beautiful.

"I love you."

So's heart ached as he left the app and placed his phone onto his laptop, unable to look any longer. Holding a hand over his chest, he breathed deeply and fought back the tears that built up in his eyes. She was happier without him. Safer without him. That was all that mattered in the end.

Moving on with his day no longer hurt like it used to. So got up off the floor and thought of how Soo would overcome negativity.

First, he showered. Cleaning his body felt like a good first step into his new life, and he took the time to shave as well, scraping off every last hair that he'd let grow all over his face. What was once unkempt and scraggly begame neat and clean, and he left the shower a new man. There was only one thing left for him to do, so he prepared accordingly.

So dried, dressed, and cleaned his apartment as best as he could, moving his laptop and phone off the floor and running his new vacuum a couple times throughout the little apartment. There was little to pick up, but he felt better after picking up the dust off the floor and in the bathroom. All the while, he thought about his future and what it entailed for him.

There was enough money to his name for him to live in a Gangnam apartment for the rest of his life. He thought of looking for a job that did not require the strenuous mental strength or physical taxation as being a hitman. Something he could do to hide and blend in with society. There was plenty of time for him to apply, but So found stocking shelves and organizing appealing. Though he liked children, he doubted any childcare service would hire him without credentials, and a degree in biology was useless in terms of childcare.

Already in an inconspicuous black shirt and pants, he left his apartment with nothing but his phone and wallet on him, silently walking through the city and blending in with the crowds of people that wandered about Seoul in the evening.

On the way, he stopped by a convenience store and bought a mask to protect himself. The air quality was abysmal, but that was hardly what So thought of as he rode the subway. He aimlessly scrolled through his phone and tapped on random things, sometimes looking through the games Yoon had downloaded onto his phone that he always forgot to delete.

He arrived at the apartment and keyed in the code he had picked up during his searches into who had hired him. There was no other security, and So scoffed. Won Seok had more balls than he did brains - something So commended him for.

"Hiring a hitman when you only have two barriers to entry on your home…" murmured So as he took the stairs up to the second floor. It took little effort for him to pin in Won Seok's home code, having stripped it off from security cameras in the hallway and by examining the oil print on the keypad.

The apartment was dark, and So made himself at home, going through the fridge, looking through drawers, and stepping around the small apartment that housed a wannabe killer. It was clean and nicely furnished - as if someone had tried to mimic a magazine catalogue but had failed to make their apartment seem like an actual home.

Aside from documents in drawers and clothes in dressers, there were few distinguishing factors that differentiated this apartment from a model shown by a realtor.

So read a few documents and perused through others. Eventually, he sat down on the sofa and made sure he had a way out should Won Seok grow violent. So was in no mood to fight, and because of a mask, a pair of gloves, and an innate knowledge of the layout of cameras around the apartment, his identity was safe.

It was not long before the sharp pings of the keypay being clicked on and the grind of the door being opened sounded and So looked up as Won Seok stepped in, groceries in one arm.

"Hey there."

The accountant dropped his groceries and stared at So with wide eyes. A bunch of bananas, two cans, and a container of milk all clattered onto the floor, creating a resonating crash that filled the silence between them for a millisecond.

He was shorter than So had assumed, and less round in the face than his government ID showed. Upon initial reading, and based on what So already knew, he realized there was no need to monitor or worry about this sad little man who tried and failed to create something monumental. "Wh-Who are you?!" demanded the other man.

So sniffed and pointed to Won Seok. "I'm the one you hired to kill that politician and his wife and kids." He doubted Won Seok's eyes could open any wider than they already were. The other man's mouth fell open and he froze in place. "I just came here to tell you I'm retired. You stopped paying me awhile back, but this is a courtesy call. If you try to hire another hitman for that family, I'll know. I'll kill you if you do."

Won Seok made a strangled noise in the back of his throat and So narrowed his eyes as the man suddenly began showing heightened signs of fear and anxiety in his body language.

"Won Seok…" he said slowly. "Did you hire another hitman?"

There was no answer. Instead, a prolonged, wide-eyed silence stared So in the face.

"No."

So watched Won Seok for a long while, gauging his body language and watching as he gulped in fear. Suddenly, he seemed to be telling the truth. So did not blame him for showing erratic behavior. Few people were calm in the face of death.

"You should find something better to do than try to kill politicians. It's not healthy. Get a girlfriend."

Standing, So sauntered past the man's dropped groceries, giving him a pat on the shoulder. "Oh," he paused, his hand still gripping Won Seok. "If you tell anyone about today… know that I may be retired, but I'm still in my prime."

He walked out of the apartment and shut the door behind him, avoiding cameras and evading the eyes of other residents. His gloves came off and slid into his pockets in an instant, and So whistled beneath his mask as he walked out of the building and into the night.

The night air was cooler than the morning heat, and So wished he could walk with Soo the way they had on their Han river date. He wanted to hold her hand and kiss her cheek like he used to.

With his shoulders free from any loads, So gazed up at the night sky as a new man, ready to begin the next chapter of his life. Nothing could bring down the joy he experienced from being finally free.

He whistled as he walked, looking around at the restaurants open around him and wondering what he might have for dinner. Bright, neon signs advertised various types of meat, drinks, and dishes that made his stomach rumble. He wanted to be picky when choosing his first meal as a new man. He wanted something cheap and delicious that would ground him and help him pave the new road to come.

While looking around for that perfect restaurant, So's eyes landed on a newsstand, and he immediately honed in on a gossip magazine with a picture of Wook and Soo on it.

Beside him was a woman in a large hat, her face covered by its brim. But from beneath, So could see the presence of light pink lipstick. The two walked into a building, together, Wook's arm around Soo and his hand pressed against her stomach. One of Soo's hands held her bag while the other also held her stomach.

So's hands clenched into fists and he crossed his arms to prevent his outburst of emotion from being seen by the people around. He scanned the tabloid for any other signs, and even looked at other headlines to see if anyone else was reporting. But there was no extra evidence other than that one photo of Wook and Soo looking like a happy couple once more.

 _Presidential Hopeful Hwang Bo Wook and Wife, Hae Soo, Expecting Third Child!_

Suddenly unwilling to eat, So returned home without another thought. He trudged through the streets of Seoul and barely swiped his credit card to ride the subway back to Gangnam.

When he arrived back at his little apartment, he collapsed onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling, gazing at the light that he had forgotten to turn on.

He remembered Soo wishing for another baby before Wook had shot her dreams down. He remembered Soo telling him about how much she loved each and every one of her children. So breathed deeply, never daring to let himself hope that she was actually pregnant or that…

So gulped as he felt a giddy flutter in his chest that he gave his utmost to suppress. There was no way in hell that Hae Soo was carrying his baby. No way. His heart made him remember all the times after Soo had gone off birth control that they had not used a condom, or the number of times they had had sex, but his mind forced him to remember that one tabloid was not enough to prove pregnancy… and that she wanted nothing to do with him.

No matter how much he loved and cherished Hae Soo as the only woman that would ever make him feel alive again, none of it mattered when Hwang Bo Wook was the father of her children.

Wang So was just a bodyguard that was bad at his job and nothing more. He was just another guard and just another face that had passed by that house and left it behind.

There was no room in Soo's life for him. She was already happy again with her husband and children.

It was time to move on.

* * *

 **Hae Soo**

Yoon pressed her face to Soo's belly, making her mother smile when she shouted. "Are you sleeping?!"

Soo patted her daughter's head and smoothed the unruly mess that came about from a morning of cuddles. They sat on the floor of her office and spent a lazy morning together. Wook and Mi were off having lunch with his parents, and Yoon had thrown such a large tantrum when her father had tried to buckle her into her carseat that both parents decided it was better for her to stay home. So Yoon stayed with Soo, enjoying brunch in their pajamas and playing with toy cars on the floor while Soo read over paperwork.

She held her belly with one hand and pulled her fingers through the knots in Yoon's hair with the other. "I think baby can hear you very clearly, sweetheart," she said gently.

"Why?" asked Yoon. She wriggled closer to Soo and put her forehead on Soo's belly again. "Baby! Come out!"

Her nose poked into Soo's belly and Soo leaned down to press a kiss to Yoon's head. "Baby still has three months in Mommy's belly. You must be patient, Yoonie." Soo smiled when her little girl groaned and turned away from her belly to keep playing with her cars.

Soo's thoughts drifted to So as she held her paperwork to her face and tried to read. Her phone was in her back pocket, constantly on her mind. It almost whispered for her to call So and to talk to him. All she wanted to do was hear his voice, make sure he was doing well.

Listening to Yoon make car noises with her mouth reminded Soo of all the times So had played with her daughters. The pictures on her desk depicted Hwang Bo Wook as their father, but Soo tried to imagine a world where Wang So was their father. That was a sweet image, but one that would never come to be.

Instead, she could see herself being stigmatized and ostracized by society for being a single mother. If she divorced Wook, she would be the one taking the brunt of society's wrath, and as a well-loved politician, Wook would become a beacon for single parents, divorced parents, and the like. Their lives would move on… but Soo could not tear her mind off of So and how he might be coping.

She hated the idea of So suffering. Soo wanted nothing more than to rid Wang So of his suffering. She wanted so badly to be with him even if she knew of his horrible past. No matter how bad of a person he was, Soo wanted to believe that she had seen a different side of him - one that was kind to children and loved her. She refused to believe that he had lied to her except about his former occupation… and even then, he had never outright lied about that either. Always being cryptic and hinting as if he wanted her to ask. He would have answered if she had asked - she knew that in her heart. Soo wished that he would not return to being a hitman. She sincerely wished that he would be happy for the rest of his life.

"Mommy, where's So?" asked Yoon. She held her cars against her chest and looked up at Soo with big, imploring eyes. "Miss So."

Soo reached over to puller daughter onto her lap, still able to cuddle Yoon close without feeling too much discomfort. She hugged her squirmy baby and kissed Yoon's cheek as she rolled one of her cars over Soo's belly. "He's working somewhere else now, baby."

 _I miss him too._

Later, when Wook came home, Soo walked as Yoon ran and barrelled into his open arms, screaming for Mi to come play, and darting off again. Mi gave Soo a warm hug before running off after her sister, inciting Chae Ryung's shout for them to stop running inside.

"Hey," Wook said as Soo approached him. His arms went around her shoulders and Soo felt stifled by his presence. His hug lasted too long and he pressed a kiss to her lips as if they were happy again.

She let him touch her stomach, his hand gentle as it caressed the months-old bulge. He went to every doctor's office visit and looked at every sonogram with the same gaze he had used to look at Mi's. He wore his wedding ring even though Soo had stopped completely. "How's our little one?" he asked.

Soo could not stop herself as she looked up at her husband and into his loving, caring eyes. Wook had returned to her in the way she had wanted. He had come back as the loving, doting husband she had always dreamed he would be, and he loved her baby. It was all she had ever wanted… but now she could not think of anything that made her feel worse.

"It's not yours. Stop saying that."

Wook's hand pulled back for a split second and Soo stared in defiance at her husband. "This baby is not yours. It's not yours, so stop."

She shivered at the wide smile Wook gave her, wondering what he hid up his sleeve. His hands met her arms as he held her, smoothing her sleeves. "Of course it's mine. Otherwise it would be the bodyguard's, and that wouldn't bode well for either of us. No one's perfect."

Soo stared in horror as Wook spoke, his words jabbing her bit by bit. He _knew_. He knew all along. And he hid his emotions flawlessly. She was the idiot - as always. She fell for the same, sweet, condescending lines, thinking that she had the upper hand when he was in control the entire time.

"I'm willing to raise this baby as mine, Hae Soo. I'll bring him or her into my clan and raise the baby as mine as long as recompense for cheating. I'll love it like my own and make it a part of our family."

His smile looked genuine, his eyes wrinkling in the corners as he held her. Soo wanted so badly to believe him. She wanted to be able to go back to what they had in the past. Now, they would be a family of five - the way it should have been.

Then, she thought of Wang So, and how he had cried into her shoulder when he told her about his family. How he had bared himself to her and told her about how much he had wanted a family of his own… and with her. So had always been kind to her and her children and had never done anything to them that would justify an inability to raise children. He did not deserve this. But more than that, even though Soo knew she would never show her baby to his biological father, she realized that their baby did not deserve to grow up a lie. She could not condemn her child to grow beneath a loveless marriage.

Swallowing thickly, Soo used her hands to gently push Wook's hands off of her shoulders. She took a deep breath and looked into the face of her husband. Pressing one hand to her racing heart, Soo uttered the words she never thought she would ever say in her life.

"I want a divorce."

* * *

 **I know I don't respond anymore, but I love and cherish every one of your comments. You guys that are reading this are the reason I'm getting through this.**


	49. Partner

**Wang So**

The smell of grilled meat and fresh rice wafted around the small apartment, leaving through the open window in the living room. There were new lightbulbs in every lamp and brightness encapsulated the apartment, shining over the little succulent on the kitchen counter.

Wang So took a sip of his tea and cleared his throat, setting the mug onto the table. He looked over his new laptop and his new kitchen table. There was a chair in his living room for him to sit on, and a chair at his table. His new books sat on his kitchen table, one of them already dogeared at the page he read to while eating dinner.

He tapped on his computer, logging in a new email address, a new password, and a new resume. Wang So was a thirty-seven-year-old man with a single degree from a prestigious university and no working experiences between the ages of twenty-two and thirty-seven.

When he finished his relatively short resume, So looked at recipes online, deciding on what he would cook and what materials he would need. There were an endless number of dishes online that called his interest, and So downloaded each and every one onto his new hard drive… except for the ones that he planned to make tomorrow.

Everything was new - even the things he could have reused. Anything that had ever touched the sordid life of a killer he had grown accustomed to during his fifteen year tenure he replaced entirely.

He wrote down the names of the two dishes he would make for lunch and dinner, frowning when his pen scribbled blank marks into the notepad he used. Halfway through his search for recipes, his pen died. Sighing, So tossed it aside and made a mental note on which recipes he wanted to pursue.

No more check-ups on Soo and her family, no more keeping tabs. That was how he could tell Soo he was doing alright. Now, he had a gym membership, and in the four months between his leaving her home and his current state, So let his hair grow longer and took more walks along the Han River. He enjoyed when he could, and tried to see the world through the eyes of Hae Soo.

It was a happy sight.

He washed his mug and the pots and dishes he used for dinner after finishing his tea. There was little to wash up, but So made sure to keep his space tidy. He liked being able to look upon the clean apartment and know that it was not a facade. There was nothing hidden beneath the immaculate countertops, or any skeletons in his closet - only clothes.

He avoided tabloids completely, and for good reason. They swarmed with pictures of Soo, which So assumed were only present because of something in her life that was preventing her from caring. He sorely hoped he was not still on her mind. She deserved better and So refused to stoop to becoming a stalker.

He decided to go grocery shopping. He was out of milk, cereal, and needed vegetables for the next day's meal. That and a new set of pens.

Realizing he had no car was another aspect of So's life that he needed to get used to again. No more luxurious work car. Now, he walked. But So enjoyed the time it took for him to get to the grocery store.

He jammed his hands into his pockets, glad to be free of the constricting suits and cramped dress shoes. Now, he could wear his jeans and hoodies and sneakers in peace.

So walked in silence, absorbing the sounds of the city around him and finding himself missing the quiet peace of the suburb where Soo lived. A lawn was no commodity in Korea, yet he missed the ability to privately walk through grassy areas and kick soccer balls with the children. However, he was content with what he had. The bustling city gave him an endless array of things to observe, and it was mesmerizing to watch the hundreds of people around him living their unique lives on their own.

He stepped out of the heat and into the cool, air-conditioned blast of the supermarket near his home. Picking up a basket, he made for the produce section.

Tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, potatoes, and dried seaweed. All went into his basket until he stopped in front of the fish corner. So glanced around the tanks, letting his eyes drift over the fish.

"How much for a flatfish?" he asked the woman at the counter. "Just live. I can cut it up myself."

"Ten thousand per kilo."

So gave a small nod and thanked her before walking away from the fish counter. Disappointed with the price, he looked to other sources of protein.

 _I can go to the fish market and haggle if I want. I already had fish anyways._

He made for the meat corner, already taking in the sight of workers offering samples of cooked meat. Walking to the glass display of the day's meats, he asked for four servings of beef and collected the package from the person manning the stand.

He thought of his family when he passed by the children's section on his way to find some new utensils for his kitchen. Another spatula was necessary after accidentally breaking the other while washing it.

Glancing at the colorful toys that appealed to children, So thought of his niece and nephew… and then to Mi and Yoon. He wandered toward the bright things and wondered if they were well. Mi, with her long hair in braids that flew when she played on the swings. Yoon, who painted on her clothes and giggled whenever Soo blew on her belly.

"Excuse me."

So flinched and put the princess dress he was holding down, turning to look at a young woman that smiled at him. "Oh, um-"

"Do you have a daughter?" she asked.

So bit the tip of his tongue and shook his head. He thought of Yo's daughter and wished he could buy things for her. "Niece. She's too young for these things, though." The woman nodded and took the dress he had put back, adding it to her laden cart.

"Me too. Are you… single?"

So's attention snapped back to the woman. She had bright eyes and cherry colored lips, dark hair that swung past her shoulders, and a bright, white smile. "I have a girlfriend."

Her smile went away and So cleared his throat as she nodded and walked off.

She wore a bright, purple shirt and held an obviously designer handbag on her wrist. Her jeans were tight against her petite frame. She was pretty, and he remembered her having a nice smile. She was younger than Soo, but not enough so that So would be stigmatized for dating her.

And he did not have a girlfriend. She was married. She had children. She was gone.

He ran out of the children's section and found her in the stationery aisle, the woman stared at him in surprise as he approached and cleared his throat. "Had. Sorry. I _had_ a girlfriend. Just got out of a long term… um… relationship. Sorry. I- my name is Wang So."

Fumbling for words, he outstretched a hand and smiled. She laughed and accepted his gesture. Her hand was soft, slim, and her grasp was firm. Like Soo.

"Hwang Yu Hui."

So forced himself out of thought and away from Soo, focusing on the moment and on the woman before him. His hand retracted after the correct amount of time. "Would it be possible for me to get your number?" he asked.

Yu Hui nodded and So reached into his pocket for a pen and any form of paper. He blanked momentarily, realizing why there was nothing in his pocket but his wallet.

"Are we the only people in Seoul that leave home without our phones on us?" Yu Hui asked with a light laugh. So laughed with her and sighed before reaching for the nearest package of pens and pack of sticky notes.

Tearing them open, he tossed the plastic and tags into his cart, noticing the look on Yu Hui's face when he offered her the new pen and paper.

"I'll pay for them," So said immediately.

"Wouldn't care if you didn't."

He frowned at her words, but accepted the returned materials. The pens clattered into his basket, and the sticky notes remained in his hand.

 _Hwang Yu Hui, 010-0120-0980_

"Call me for coffee sometime. Now I really should go; my ice cream is melting."

Smiling again, So waved and placed the yellow paper into his cart. He collected the last few things he needed, selecting a new pack of pens that he liked.

So thought of Yu Hui's number in his basket as he made for the cashier. Even while the person scanning his food gave him a strange look for having opened packages in his cart, he kept his attention on the note that now resided in his pocket. Methodically he opened his reusable grocery bag and stacked his items into it, placing each thing so it all fit into the cloth sack. He paid with card.

As he walked home, he checked his watch, pausing when he noticed the gold bracelet on his wrist. The white flowers and red beads were so tiny on him, but they still shone brightly on his skin. He never took the bracelet off, and now he stared at it in the middle of the street.

Lowering his wrist, he reached into his pocket. The ivory flowers shone in the evening moonlight as he tossed the phone number in his pocket away and continued to walk.

* * *

 **Hwang Bo Wook**

"Divorce?"

The incredulousness in his voice was so apparent that he could not help but express it on his face as well. Staring down at his pregnant wife, Wook scoffed and shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck with an agitated hand. "Divorce."

"I'm divorcing you," she said quietly. Soo's hands pressed against her belly and Wook's rage flared as the palms of his hands burned. He looked her in the eye and she did not shy away. She was being completely candid.

"Hae Soo," he said, trying to reach for her shoulder. His grasp was gentle but the movement Soo used to shove him aside was rough. Wook's hand fell to his side and he glared.

"Hwang Bo Wook, this is something I should have done much longer before. We're not happy together. I'm divorcing you."

They stared at each other in the foyer, neither willing to budge. Wook sighed, slipping his jacket off and laying it over his forearm. He looked down at his wife and heaved a sigh, lips pressing into a thin line. "Even after I offered to raise the baby as my own. Even after I told you I would try to make our marriage work."

He heaved a sigh and rubbed between his eyebrows. Anger surged through him as he pushed a lid down on his emotions and tried to communicate to his wife his dismay.

"It wouldn't work. I don't want it to work." She was being obstinate and Wook was tired. "This baby doesn't deserve to grow up a lie."

"Exactly what about Wang So makes him a better father than me? That's what this is about, isn't it? You want to leave me and go run off with your little fling?" He did not care about the fact that there could be ears all around them. The servants were tied and gagged with nondisclosure agreements. Wook only felt the burning rage in his chest that his wife only nudged closer to explosion. "You think either of us deserves to get what we want? I gave up Si Yeon for you. If anything, I'm sure I'm much better than whatever the damn bodyguard was."

Her expression contorted at his statement but Wook only saw red. He glared as she shook her head, her hair swinging back and forth with her movements. "So never cheated on me… and you're the one in the wrong."

He scoffed loudly, looking away in disbelief before addressing her with a laugh that fell flat. "Don't martyr yourself, Hae Soo. We're both cheaters and we both aren't going to get what we want. You and I are stuck together."

He could not understand why she wanted to leave him. Even after he had pushed his lover away and returned to his wife, even after he had made the decision to give his all to Soo, she still pushed his kindness away.

"We may be the same," said Hae Soo, her breathing heavy, "but I am not giving you a child that isn't yours."

The fragile glue that held their family together since the death of Lily, since Wook's cheating, since Soo's cheating began to fall apart. There was little holding their family together and Wook scrambled to keep the pieces together. He fought to keep his family afloat amid the tumultuous waves he and Soo created with their argument.

"You're not leaving me," snapped Wook.

"I am!" Soo shrieked at him. Wook took a step forward and he towered over his wife, unwilling to play her game any longer. Something inside him broke as Soo shouted at him.

"Fine! Divorce me!" he shouted at her. "But know this, Hae Soo, I get full custody of the girls."

Soo's face went red with rage and Wook looked down his nose at his wife, unwilling to bend even when she leered at him with a hatred he had never seen burning in her eyes before. His heart ached and screamed as flames of anger and hatred overcame his want for peace with his wife.

"If you don't remarry, then maybe I'll allow visitation. Wang So can have his child. I'm keeping mine."

They glared at each other, sizing each other as the walls of their marriage crumbled and the years of ups and downs collapsed into rubble. "You're horrid," Soo said, her voice levelling into something dangerous.

Wook's heart broke as his wife moved beyond his reach. Her words tore into him and he pined for them to return to peace. They both needed to be there for Yoon and Mi. With another baby on the way, Wook had no idea how Soo would react to their children. She loved Yoon and Mi, but they were born from him. The new baby was Wang So's. Wook did not want to see how hurt his girls would be if their mother favored the new baby over them.

"I'm protecting my children," he responded. "You're being a delusional child. What makes you think Wang So would be any sort of father for our girls, huh? When he already has a baby of his own inside you! I'm Mi and Yoon's father and I'll protect my babies from anything!"

A tense silence fell over them, the entire house resonating with a chilly stillness that felt like a long breath held in for hundreds of years. Wook unfurled the fists he had not realized he'd clenched in the first place. Soo released a shuddering breath.

"Stay, Soo." He spoke with a level tone, no longer willing to shout at the woman he had given everything to. All he wanted was for her to stay. He would do anything for her to continue their lives together the way things were. Soo would stay as the girls' mother and she would remain his wife. All he asked was for that and nothing else. "Stay and don't bring up divorce again."

She remained silent, unflinching. Wook swallowed thickly as he realized his words were not reaching her. She needed more.

"If you truly want," he uttered. "And if you truly find me so utterly despicable that you won't even consider staying with me, I'll let you bring the bodyguard back into our employ. You can fuck him if you want, but you stay here as Yoon and Mi's mother and as my wife.

"But, if you really think divorce is the only way we can move forward, then I dare you to test me. I _dare_ you. Yoon and Mi will live with me and I'll be their sole guardian. You can see them on weekends if the bodyguard isn't present… I'll have my secretary send you the legal documents."

Soo's lips pressed together and Wook saw the shift in her stance. Her hand swung at his face to slap him, but his arm shot out to catch her wrist in a lock. She was weak in his grasp and Wook squeezed Soo as she fought to free herself from him. The impact her wrist left in his palm let Wook know just how hard she meant to hit him. His heart hurt more than his hand as he pulled his pregnant wife closer and leaned in to murmur into her ear.

"Don't add familial abuse and assault to our marriage, Soo. You're better than that, and I don't want my daughters to call their mother a criminal." He released her wrist and Soo shot backwards, her hands by her side.

"You're despicable," she said. "We're through."

She stormed off, leaving Wook behind in the ashes of their destroyed marriage. None of the pieces fit together anymore, and Wook's hands trembled at his loss of control. He had nothing, and that was terrifying.


	50. Heartfelt

**Hae Soo**

Her hands gripped her steering wheel in a death grip as she sped through the desolate streets to the heavily guarded apartment complex.

At three in the morning, few things could rouse her from the coma her baby put her under at night, but something in Baek Ah's voice had forced her out of bed and into her car with her pajamas still on and her feet hastily shoved into the first pair of flats she could find. Soo took a deep breath as she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth.

She hoped her brother was alright. When he called he had obviously been crying, and he had stumbled over his words to the point that she could only glean so much. She left her room in a hurry, texting Chae Ryung to tell her where she was going. Chae Ryung would tell Wook in the morning when he walked down from one of the guest rooms to get dressed in her bedroom.

Before long, she approached her brother's apartment complex. Nodding her head at the guard, Soo waited for the tag in her car to open the gate. Her hands rubbed against the steering wheel until she could drive forward.

Soo reached into the passenger's side and grabbed her shawl, throwing it over one shoulder as she parked. Clutching her phone and wallet in her hands, she shut the car off and rushed into the cool night air.

Quickly walking past cars, she made for one of the entrances to Baek Ah's building and punched in the first code, remembering the eight digit pin. Then, she rushed into the elevator that arrived in an instant. No one but her remained awake so late at night, so the elevator shot straight up to the floor her brother lived on.

Pressing on the lock on Baek Ah's door, Soo thumbed in another code and tapped the star button, relieved that he refused to change his door password. It was the same it had been six years ago.

"Baek Ah?" Soo walked in and slipped her shoes off, bare feet touching the icy, white marble that covered his floors. She exited the shoe closet and walked through the foyer. Passing the dark, wood panelling that created sparse, dusty shelves, Soo made her way through a place she had not visited in awhile. Two pictures of her children as babies sat side by side, alone on a large shelf where there had once been engagement photos, family picnics, tender moments, and sweet memories. Now, there was only dust.

The apartment was neat because of a maid that came by three times a week to cook and clean. Soo wished she had come to see her brother more often. She had been so preoccupied with her children, Wook, and So that she had completely forgotten about seeing her brother outside of a work environment. And now he reached out to her in a dark time, and she wanted nothing more than to make up for her selfishness.

"Baek Ah?"

She walked into the living room and paused. She looked down at her older brother as he sat on the floor with his back against his sofa. Still in the same pants he had worn to work, Baek Ah slouched low. His hand curled against a soju bottle, and Soo sighed softly as she took in how much he'd drunk. All around him were open photo albums. Shirtless and breathing heavily, he did not even notice her approach.

"Baek Ah," she said, rushing to his side and swiftly throwing her phone and wallet onto the sofa, where they bounced off in random directions. She did not care. Holding her brother's tattooed arm, Soo implored him to look at her, but he only curled against her, his hands holding hers as he wept into her shoulder.

Soo sat beside him and immediately wrapped her arms around him as his body racked with sobs. "I'm sorry," she heard him utter through his melancholy.

The baby kicked and her heart ached. Soo closed her eyes and ran her fingers through her brother's hair, trying her best to calm him as his tears seeped into her dress. "Sh… Sh… breathe. I'm here. Tell me what's wrong," Soo said. When she opened her eyes, she looked down at the tattoos on his back. The white crane that flew off, accompanied by the vibrant, pink flowers that he had gotten done for each of her children shone as if they had been done again in new ink.

Then, she noticed the photos in the albums. Her brother laughed as he hugged his fiancee close. He showed his tattoos off proudly, and she kissed his cheek. Woo Hee. Noh Woo Hee. The girl that had committed suicide because she thought herself too poor - too disgraced to marry Baek Ah.

"Baek Ah…"

"It's today." His voice wavered, and Soo held the back of her brother's neck, her own tears threatening to fall as she absorbed the loss that had impacted him that night. "She died today. It's today."

Gently rubbing the back of Baek Ah's neck, Soo waited for his sobs to subside. She told him to breathe, softly iterating when he should inhale and when he should exhale. He did not listen at first, his sadness overcoming any ability to hear her speak to him. But soon, his breathing patterns began to match her descriptions. Ragged and haggard at first, he made the effort to listen to her, and Soo waited until he was breathing normally once more.

Baek Ah rested his head on her shoulder, his arms falling away from the death grip on her shawl that Soo had not even noticed. When he leaned back, Soo noticed the hanja characters inked onto his heart. Noh Woo Hee.

"I just… I didn't know what to do," he said softly. His breath smelled like alcohol and made her head spin, but Soo remained still for her brother. "She's been gone so long."

"You love her even still," Soo said. She reached a hand over and stroked her brother's unshaven cheek, feeling the rough stubble that dotted his chin. "It's only natural that you'd still miss her."

"E-Eight years later?" he asked, a small whine leaving his mouth. He sniffled and Soo leaned herself closer to him. They sat side by side, arms touching. Baek Ah's head rested agaisnt her shoulder, his once-styled hair a clumpy mess on her side. Soo rested her head against her brother's and used the hand closest to him to hold his. She rested her palm on top of his knuckles, lightly patting them.

"I miss her so much, Soo," he uttered. "Why was she so damn stupid? Why couldn't she have just… just stayed?"

Soo's tears fell and she sniffed back her clogged nose as she squeezed her brother's hand and offered her condolences once more. "Sometimes something triggers us and it just brings the pain back."

She remembered the months after Lily Flower's death when she would break down at the thought of having him in her arms. In her dreams, he was alive and cooing. He looked just like Yoon or Mi, and he had the prettiest eyes for her. But she woke up distraught and clutching her empty belly, grasping at something that did not exist anymore.

Sitting with her brother, she held him as he breathed and calmed himself. Alone in the apartment he purchased after Woo Hee's death, Soo wondered if there were too many things outside the gates of the Hae House that made them suffer. Her mother wanted them both to move back to their childhood home, and while Soo meant to keep the house in her divorce from Wook, she wondered if that was the right move.

She and Baek Ah had both enjoyed life outside of their home, but in recent years, their suffering had made them lose sight of their goals and emotional stability.

"Why are you so nice?" Baek Ah asked suddenly. He was less drunk than Soo thought him to be. His words did not slur even though he laid his head on her shoulder and stared at their reflection in the TV on the far wall.

"Hm?"

"I called you for comfort… and you could've talked to me on the phone." He hiccuped so hard Soo felt the jerk in her own body, and her free hand went to holding her belly - as if the jostle would wake her littlest one. "You're like… twelve months pregnant and could've stayed at home and in bed. I just needed someone to talk to. Be more selfish, idiot."

Leaning back against her brother, she gave a tiny sigh and examined their reflection in the TV. Two grown siblings holding hands in their pajamas stared back. One had short, shaggy hair while the other wore a hastily shoved-in headband to keep her messy hair in place. One wore a loose dress while the other only wore pants. But the tattoos from his collar to elbows kept his torso warm.

"I care about you."

"And I care about the health and safety of my niece or nephew. But thank you for coming. I… I'm really glad you're here."

As time passed, they moved around. Soo grabbed a green bottle of water from her brother's sparse fridge and laid on the sofa as he maintained his charge of the floor. He drank straight from his bottle and she drank straight from hers, cracking the metal cap off the glass bottle and tossing it onto his pile of caps as she clinked bottles with him. Her water sparkled and had a hint of lime.

Propped up against artistically chosen cushions, she stared up at the ceiling and followed the wood paneling and clean-cut design with her eyes. She thought of Baek Ah's loss and wished she could drink her own away.

Two siblings that both lost people they loved… what a sight they must make.

"I wish I could go back," Baek Ah forlornly muttered. "Hug her as tightly as possible… tear that damn noose from her hands. Tell her I loved her even if she was a stubborn idiot who thought too much about her own pride. Her goddamn pride.

"I could have saved her if I came home just an hour earlier. An hour. An hour!" Soo did not react when her brother shouted and wiped his eyes.

Seeing Baek Ah's loss made her wonder if her pain would also stay and haunt her eight years later. Years after So left, would she still pine over him the way she did now?

 _Why are you so nice?_

Baek Ah's question echoed in her mind and Soo gulped as she wondered what he meant. She came to help him because she loved her brother. She did everything for the people around her out of love, and it was that love that sustained her happiness… but she wanted So. She wanted him because she loved him and because she wanted to be happy. In their short time together, she acquired so many new, happy memories that she cherished, making her crave more.

 _I can help him. I can help him. I'll call him. We can make it work. I'll send him to rehab if he needs. I can help him make a new life and become something that isn't dangerous._

She led Baek Ah to his room as the sky began to lighten. Sighing at the small bed and large desk that made up an otherwise sparse room, she realized how much he would benefit from living with their family again. They both needed to regroup, and she was realizing it too late.

Laying her brother in his bed, she tipped him onto his side. Baek Ah moved willingly, taking a position that would not kill him if he happened to throw up in the night. He made no move when Soo laid his blanket over him. Instead, he murmured softly - eyes closed and lips moving in whispers that his sister could not pick up.

She shut the door to his bedroom to let him sleep and walked back to the living room to check the other rooms for a place to sleep. Knowing she was in no state to drive, Soo walked into the two other rooms to see what she could find.

The first was a room of Baek Ah's artwork. Even as an adult and even though he had a thriving career in the family business, he still painted and sculpted the pieces he would have made and sold if he had not gone to business school. The room smelled of paint, clay, and offered no place for a small pregnant lady to lie down. Soo gave up instantly.

She went to the second room and took in the sight of a grand piano. No.

Going to where her brother kept his extra linens and bedding, she removed a futon and grunted at the weight in her arms. The bright green bedding fell to the floor with a flop and Soo grunted as she dragged it into the living room. She kicked aside empty bottles of soju into a pile as far away as she could without infringing on the hallway's space. No one wanted Baek Ah to walk out and stab his food on a piece of soju cap.

Back and forth, Soo walked between closet and living room until she stood before a well-made sleeping area with two blankets, two pillows, and a thick futon. This was enough to tide the morning. She was so tired, she hardly made the trip to turn the lights off around the apartment before collapsing into bed and falling asleep instantly.

* * *

"I'm a really shitty person if I made my pregnant sister drive out here and sleep on the floor." Soo opened her eyes to see Baek Ah sitting on the floor beside her, legs crossed and hands on his knees. He wore a white t-shirt and gray basketball shorts. His eyes held bags heavier than her Birkins, and his hair was a travesty. Hangover did not suit her brother well.

"Good morning." Soo spoke as she lifted her arms above her head and tried to stretch out the tightness in her spine that came from trying to accommodate a baby slowly nearing term.

"It's three in the afternoon."

"Good thing my kids have a nanny and their father."

Soo pulled herself up and smacked her lips as her baby rolled around and kicked at her stomach. She rubbed the places that rose and fell with each movement, trying to soothe her agitated child. "How are you?" she asked.

Baek Ah shrugged his shoulders and looked down at his knees. "I'm not better, but I'm not worse. I just… I really missed her last night. It all came back for some reason." He looked at her with the same eyes she saw when she looked into a mirror or looked at her children. "Distract me?"

Scooting toward her brother, she sat beside him and hugged him close, breathing deeply as she remembered how she would hug him when they were children. There was a pause in their conversation and he hugged her back, neither pulling away even after some time.

"I cheated on Wook," she said. Baek Ah jerked backwards with wide eyes, his mouth dropping and his hands losing their grip on her before regaining their position at her shoulders. Her brother became a statue as she tried to come to terms with how to explain.

Before she could come up with anything, Soo saw Baek Ah's eyes rush down and hone in on her belly. Her baby. His question was clear, and there was no way to avoid it. There was no way in hell she would lie to her brother about this. Not after last night.

"It's not his," she said.

"Is it the bodyguard? Wang-whatever?" This time, it was Soo's turn to stare at her brother in flabbergasted silence. She mimicked his former expressions to a T, her own surprise taking over any logical capacity in her mind. "Don't think I didn't see the way he looked at you the day Mi sprained her ankle. He looked at you as if you were… as if there was no one else in the world but you. I thought it was an obsession, but apparently not."

Shutting her mouth, she sucked her lips in and met eyes with her older brother as he gave her a warm look and patted her belly. His hand was warm and comforting - like a blanket that made her feel safe. He was one of her anchors, and she relied on her brother for so much. Guilt hit her like a train as she remembered how much she had neglected to contact him.

"I love him." Those words were true, and when they left her a weight lifted from her back. She could breathe easy, finally letting someone else know of her adoration and need for a man she had been so cruel to.

"Yet you fired him. Did Wook find out?"

"He-" pausing, she rethought her position, trying to come up with a way to justify her breaking So's heart and forcing him away. Internally, she knew why, but her brother could never know of So's true past. "I fired him for lying to me about… about himself," she said. "But I regret it every day."

Heaving a long sigh, Baek Ah laid down onto her futon and placed his arms behind hsi head to cradle his head in his hands. Soo watched him as he chuckled to himself before glancing at her. "My sex life is dead and you're pregnant with your bodyguard's baby, yet still married to Wook. What's wrong with us?"

That made her smile, and Soo cradled her belly as Baek Ah removed a hand from beneath his head to reach over and gently rub her stomach. "Well, whoever the baby-daddy is, that's still my niece or nephew. I'll spoil the shit out of your kid."

"Did Mom tell you…"

"That you're leaving Wook? Yeah. High time, I thought. She's finally seeing reason and leaving that asshole, I thought. Never realized it would have been because Miss Prim and Proper Wife and Mother cheated with her bodyguard. I respect you so much, little sis." Baek Ah guffawed on the floor and Soo slapped his arm, glaring at him through her amusement. He yelped in pain before laughing harder. Holding her burning palm close, Soo scowled. "I guess your middle school days are still here! You're still a feisty little rebel that hates bureaucracy!"

"Do not make this about your political feud with Wook!"

Baek Ah lifted his hands in mock defeat, his laughter fading into small chuckles as he sat up to face her again. His giggles became a long, soft sigh and he patted her shoulder. "So, I'm going to guess you're fighting for custody?"

"Full." Baek Ah's expression darkened immediately and his eyebrows creased together as he frowned in full force. Soo stood her ground and nodded to her brother, understanding the solemnity of her decision.

"He's the head of their clan…"

"And I'm their mother. I'm going to have my girls with me."

Her brother gave a small nod, agreeing to her cause. Baek Ah ran a hand through his hair and scratched the back of his neck. "And the bodyguard?" he asked.

Pausing, Soo thought of Wang So. His warm, wry smile; his deep voice and comforting embrace. She missed and wanted him more than ever.

"I miss him, Baek Ah. I miss him so much."

* * *

She arrived home in time for dinner, and thanked Chae Ryung for watching the children while she was away. Sitting at the table, she took a seat by Yoon's left, smiling at her children as they tucked into rice and soup. Mi used her hands to pick into her fish with Wook's help while Yoon had fish cakes instead of an actual fish.

A maid created a setting for Soo, and quickly placed rice, soup, and utensils before her. Then, a grilled fish went in front of her and Soo thanked her before tucking in.

"Who did your hair, little girl?" she asked her youngest, frowning at the mess of hair ties that created a colorful rat's nest in her delicate locks.

Yoon giggled as she messily handled her plastic spoon. "Me! Me! Me!"

"How's Baek Ah?" asked Wook. He set his utensils down to address her, elbows resting against the table as he shifted himself toward her. Soo reached over and pulled a napkin from across the table. Wiping Yoon's mouth, she bid her daughter to continue eating.

"He misses her."

"Ah." Wook had been the first family member to arrive by Baek Ah's side as the ambulance took Woo Hee's corpse away. Soo remembered. "Even after all this time?"

"He seemed distraught because yesterday was the anniversary."

Wook picked his utensils up again and they ate in silence, occasionally smiling or responding to their children's antics. Yoon kicked her feet and whined when Mi teased that her sister was still too young to safely eat a fish.

"Hwang Bo Mi, no antagonizing your sister at the dinner table," Wook said smoothly. They were all too used to every little way the girls picked at each other, so the response came easily. Then, he picked a soft piece of meat from the bones of his own fish and fed Yoon a bite. "She can have fish as long as it's from Daddy or Mommy."

"Yeah but she can't have her own!"

"Can too!"

"No you can't, you baby!"

Soo narrowed her eyes at Mi as Yoon kicked her legs again. "Hwang Bo Mi, didn't you hear your father?"

"She keeps lying!"

"Yoon is not lying, she just wants to be bigger faster so she can do what we do. One more time and you're going to your room." She lowered her voice to seem menacing, and while Soo did not feel scary in the slightest, Mi immediately shut her mouth and let her bottom lip jut out. She ate in silence as Yoon asked Wook for more fish.

"More more more!" sang the little girl.

The tumultuous dinner ended with both girls making up in time for their Saturday night movie. They ran to one of the bathrooms to wash their hands, and while Mi sprinted for the DVD player in the sitting room, Yoon walked with Chae Ryung to change into her pajamas.

That left Soo alone with her husband. They ate in silence until Wook broke it.

"I'm going to miss this," he stated, his tone betraying no remorse. He sounded like he was reading off of a script. "Sitting here with you, our children… eating dinner. Watching you handle them squabbling."

Soo plucked meat from the fish on her plate and halfheartedly listened to Wook as she ate for two.

"Why won't you reconsider? Come on, Soo. Is divorce really something we want to do? At our age? Think of the children. Are you really going to condemn them to a life without their mo-"

"You can stay here if you want to, but I won't reconsider anything," she interjected, setting her chopsticks down. "I will fight you for joint custody or even visitation, but the girls stay with me. And if you even bring up sole custody in which the girls live with you full time, I will have my family pull every single campaign contribution we promised.

"And I'm sure the girls will survive not having a president for a father… but will you?"

She looked at him with determination, a fire burning in her heart that had not existed before. She would no longer bend or quail beneath his whims. She would keep her children and begin her life away from Wook.

Her husband's face was always placid. He stared at her with that same dead look that had once made her wonder what he was hiding and what he wanted to say. But now, she saw the vein in his neck that bulged. She saw the shifting tablecloth as he crossed his legs and leaned back in his seat.

Anger. Hwang Bo Wook was livid.

And Hae Soo accepted his challenge.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! I love you all so very much!**


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